Arson attack targets London ambulances
Keir Starmer condemns antisemitic incident
British police are investigating a suspected arson attack on four volunteer ambulances operated by Jewish charity Hatzola in Golders Green, north London, treating the incident as an antisemitic hate crime. Firefighters extinguished blazes after explosions of cylinders aboard the vehicles damaged nearby buildings; no injuries were reported. Officers are reviewing CCTV and online footage and say they are seeking three suspects; no arrests have been made. Nearby homes were evacuated and some roads closed as a precaution.
The Met Police confirmed the probe and the London Fire Brigade said the cause remains under investigation. Community groups and national politicians condemned the attack: the prime minister called it a "deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack," while the health secretary urged anyone with information to contact police. Local volunteer groups, including Shomrim North West London and the Community Security Trust, denounced the targeting of a vital emergency service and are assisting inquiries.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the torching of London Jewish community ambulances overnight was a "deeply shocking antisemitic attack" and that such hatred had no place in society.
"This is a deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack," Starmer said in a post on X. "My thoughts are with the Jewish community who are waking up this morning to this horrific news. Antisemitism has no place in our society."
Hatzola, founded in 1979, provides free emergency medical transport and response in North London; the loss of four ambulances raises concerns about local emergency coverage. Monitoring organisations note a broader recent rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in the UK, underscoring community fears and calls for heightened protection while investigators work to establish motive and identify those responsible.
