Credit: Henry Nicholis / AFP
Today, 29 April 2026, two Jewish men were seriously injured in a knife attack in the Golders Green area of North London, with one victim attacked outside shops and another near a synagogue. The attack occurred around 11:16 BST on Highfield Avenue. Victims: A 76-year-old and a 34-year-old man were seriously injured but are currently in stable condition in hospital.
In turn, the criminal armed with a knife, a 45-year-old man was apprehended at the scene by members of Shomrim, a volunteer Jewish security group. The victims were treated at the scene and taken to the hospital by Hatzolah ambulances, similar to the ones burned a few weeks ago.
Police and local groups like Shomrim have significantly increased patrols, including the deployment of armed officers in the neighborhood.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley was heckled by crowds at the scene of the attack, with Golders Green residents shouting "you've failed" and calling for his resignation. In the meantime, Counter Terrorism Policing have officially declared it a terrorist incident. A group called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), which has been linked to Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack, though police are still verifying the claim's authenticity.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack "utterly appalling," stating that attacks on the Jewish community are "attacks on Britain." Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis stated the event proves visibly Jewish people are "not safe" and called for more meaningful preventative action.
Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a sharp statement following the attack, criticizing the UK's handling of rising antisemitism. He stated that "words are not enough to confront this scourge" and demanded immediate action from the British government. His office explicitly called for the UK to "protect the Jews of England and bring antisemites to justice." The statement claimed that "weakness gaslights one antisemitic attack after another in London."
Also the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a sharp rebuke to the British government. Gideon Sa'ar argued the UK can "no longer claim" antisemitism is under control and stated that British Jews should not require private security, and criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer's words as insufficient against rising extremism. Later, Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel labeled the attack an "inevitable result" of tolerated extremism.
