Four ambulances from a Jewish community emergency service were deliberately set on fire in the Golders Green area of north London. Police are investigating the incident as an antisemitic hate crime, responding to reports of a fire on Highfield Road around 1:45 a.m. on Monday. The London Fire Brigade deployed six fire engines and nearly 40 firefighters to extinguish the blaze, which damaged the vehicles and caused explosions inside the ambulances.
Authorities confirmed that the incident is being treated as a targeted hate crime, with no injuries reported during the initial response. Superintendent Sarah Jackson, overseeing policing in the area, expressed community concern over the incident and stated that police are searching for three suspects based on CCTV footage. No arrests have been made yet, and the police are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Jackson mentioned that the police presence in the area will be increased, with engagement with faith leaders and additional patrols for reassurance. The local neighbourhood watch group, Shomrim, clarified that the explosions were caused by oxygen tanks, not explosives, leading to building evacuations but no casualties. Councillor Dean Cohen described the attack near a synagogue as unsettling for residents, heightening fears of antisemitism in the UK.
