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2026 London antisemitic attacks

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2026 London antisemitic attacks
Part of Reactions to the 2026 Iran war, Antisemitism during the 2026 Iran war, Antisemitism in the United Kingdom and the 2026 Iran War
Map
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6km
3.7miles
Golders Green Memorial Wall
Kenton United Synagogue
Embassy of Israel
Highfield Avenue
Finchley Reform Synagogue
LocationLondon, England
Date23 March 2026 – present
TargetJewish community in London
Attack type
Injured4
PerpetratorsHarakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (claimed)
Convictions30

In March and April 2026, a number of attacks were conducted that targeted the Jewish community in London, United Kingdom. The attacks were described as antisemitic, often involved arson, and targeted Jewish schools, synagogues and charities. The most significant events in the wave of incidents were the 2026 Hatzola arson attack and 2026 Golders Green stabbings.

Responsibility for many of the attacks was claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which is believed to be a front group for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC allegedly outsourced the acts to local criminals to maintain plausible deniability. Kata'ib Hezbollah commander Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi was arrested and charged for directing antisemitic attacks in London. Counter-terrorism police investigated the attacks, resulting in 27 arrests and the allocation of additional police resources.

Background

The Iranian state has a longstanding record of sponsoring terrorism and hybrid warfare in the United Kingdom.[1][2] Between 2022 and 2024, MI5 disrupted 20 Iran-linked plots.[3] In May 2025, Counter Terrorism Policing arrested eight men across England on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, which was suspected to target synagogues and other Jewish community sites, according to The Daily Telegraph.[3] In March 2026, two men – dual Iranian‑British national Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, and Iranian national Alireza Farasati, 22 – were charged under section three of the National Security Act 2023 for engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, following surveillance of Jewish individuals and locations.[4]

Incidents

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6km
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Golders Green Memorial Wall
Kenton United Synagogue
Embassy of Israel
Highfield Avenue
Finchley Reform Synagogue

Threats of killing Jewish schoolchildren in North London

On 13 February 2026, Mohamed Ullah from Hackney, east London, made comments to activist Avani Hari threatening to kill and "decapitate" Jewish schoolchildren. Ullah was arrested on the same day and remained in police custody. His defence barrister started that Ullah "at the time of the offending was about to be discharged as a patient from a mental institution."[5][6][7] In June 2026, Ullah pleaded guilty to making threats to kill, racially aggravated harassment, assault and damaging a water dispenser at Homerton Hospital.[5][6][7]

Hatzola arson attack

Four Hatzola ambulances were destroyed by arson at Machzike Hadath synagogue (pictured in 2011).

On 23 March, four ambulances belonging to Hatzola – a community-funded volunteer ambulance service – were destroyed by arson in the car park of Machzike Hadath synagogue, Golders Green. CCTV footage showed three hooded individuals pouring accelerant on the vehicles before fleeing, leading to explosions of onboard oxygen cylinders.[8][9] The blasts damaged stained‑glass windows, caused smoke and roof damage to the synagogue, and shattered windows in a nearby block of flats.[10]

Finchley synagogue firebombing

Finchley Reform Synagogue was the target of an attempted firebombing attack.

On 15 April, a brick and two petrol-filled bottles were thrown at Finchley Reform Synagogue. Neither bottle ignited, no damage occurred, and no injuries were reported.[11]

Embassy threat

On 17 April, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI) claimed it was planning an attack on the Embassy of Israel using "dangerous substances". No attack took place, and no injuries or damage were reported.[12] Discarded items, including two jars containing a powdered substance, were found in Kensington Gardens near the embassy. The items were later confirmed to contain no harmful substances.[13]

Hendon charity arson attack

Late on 17 April, a man attempted to ignite a bag containing three bottles of fluid at the doorway of a building in Hendon formerly occupied by the charity Jewish Futures. The bottles failed to ignite fully, causing only minor scorch marks. No injuries were reported.[14][15][16]

Kenton synagogue arson attack

On 19 April, a bottle containing an accelerant was thrown through a window of Kenton United Synagogue, damaging the synagogue's medical room.[17]

Watford shop attack

On 19 April, a Jewish-owned shop in Watford was set on fire. Hertfordshire Police described the incident as a "religiously aggravated" and stated that, at that point in time, it was believed to be an isolated incident.[18][19][20]

Foiled arson attack

On 19 and 20 April, six people were arrested for planning an arson attack on an undisclosed Jewish community site; the attack was prevented.[21]

Memorial wall arson attack

On 28 April, a suspected arson attack occurred at a memorial wall in Golders Green. The wall serves as a tribute to protesters killed by the Iranian government during an anti-government crackdown and victims of the Nova music festival attack in Israel.[22][23]

Golders Green stabbing attack

On 29 April, two Jewish men, aged 34 and 76, were stabbed in Golders Green. They were treated at the scene by Hatzola and taken to hospital. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack as "utterly appalling".[24] The 45‑year‑old assailant was detained by Shomrim volunteers before being tasered and arrested by police.[25] HAYI claimed responsibility to the attack.[26]

Former East London Central Synagogue arson attack

The building of the former East London Central Synagogue in Tower Hamlets sustained an arson attack by two men on the early morning of 5 May. The synagogue had closed in 2020 and was in the process of being purchased by a mosque. It had been targeted with graffiti saying "free Palestine" and "kill the zionists [sic]" the previous year. HAYI noted the attack on its Telegram channel but did not claim responsibility for it.[27][28]

Verbally abusing a Jewish man for TikTok

Also in May, two men filmed themselves verbally abusing a Jewish resident of the Stamford Hill area of Hackney. The men travelled to a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood to make antisemitic videos for content and upload them to social media. Police called the incidents "deliberate and targeted antisemitic attack, aggravated by the pair’s intention to post the incident on social media to spread hatred". Two of the men, Adam Bedoui, 20, and Abdelkader Amir Bousloub, 21, both from Hillingdon, pleaded guilty to religiously aggravated public order offences.[29][30][31]

Attempted Golders Green arson attack

On 2 June, a suspected arson occurred in the communal stairwell of an apartment building on Bridge Lane, Golders Green, where an empty pram was set alight. Residents confronted the suspect, who fled the scene, and extinguished the blaze before emergency services arrived. The Jewish community patrol group Shomrim stated that witnesses saw the suspect deliberately start the fire and noted that the majority of the building's residents are Jewish families.[32][33]

Investigation

Responsibility for most of the attacks was claimed online by HAYI, a newly formed organization believed to be a front group for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who outsource attacks to local criminals and use the group's branding to create plausible deniability.[34][35] Counter Terrorism Policing is leading the investigation into the attacks, including exploring the veracity of HAYI's claims and whether criminal proxies are being used to commit any of the crimes.[36]

By 27 April, a total of 26 individuals had been arrested in the UK for planning and conducting the attacks.[37] In connection with the Hatzola attack, four people—British nationals Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, and Judex Atshatshi, 18, and an unnamed dual British-Pakistani national, 17—were charged with arson with intent to damage property and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.[38] On the same day as the Finchley Reform Synagogue firebombing, two people—a 47-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man—were arrested in connection with the attack. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: "I'm grateful to the Met Police for their swift response to the appalling attempted arson attack at Finchley Reform Synagogue overnight. The incident is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime, and there is an increased police presence in place in the local area."[11] Following the embassy attack, a 39-year-old man was arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000.[36] In the days following the Hendon charity attack, a man was arrested in connection to the incident.[39] The night after the Kenton synagogue attack, a 17-year-old boy and 19-year-old man were arrested in connection with the incident.[17] Two men, Dominic Charles-Turner and Moses Edwards, were charged with the arson attack on the former East London Central Synagogue building.[40]

Nine additional people were arrested for planning to commit an arson attack targeting the Jewish community in London.[41] A 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts against the Jewish community in London.[37] For the Golders Green knife attack, a 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, with specialist officers from Counter Terrorism Policing leading the investigation,[24] with all possible motives being considered and it being declared a terrorist incident.[42] On 15 May, the US justice department charged Iraq national Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi for his involvement in this and other incidents tied to his alleged role as an operative for the Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary group Kata'ib Hezbollah and Iran’s IRGC.[43]

Response

Policing

In response to the attacks, police resources were significantly stepped up in northwest London in a large, multi-pronged campaign called Operation Compertum.[44] Several hundreds of additional uniformed and plain-clothed officers have been placed in areas with large Jewish populations, including specialist teams employing firearms, the mounted branch, and drones.[45][46] Extra stop and search powers have also been introduced in Barnet.[46] Additionally, armed response vehicles and Counter Terrorism Policing resources have been deployed to the area to support the increased local policing plan.[46] Officers from Project Servator have also been deployed, who are trained in behavioural detection to spot that someone is acting suspiciously such as gathering information or preparing for an attack.[44]

Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, described London as being "under attack" by Iran. He said that the individuals conducting the attacks are likely "carrying out Iran's dirty work", with Iran intending to "sow fear, division and tie up resources". Hall recommended the Government to pass legislation to proscribe the IRGC.[47] After the Golders Green attack, the UK threat level was raised from substantial to severe, which the UK government attributed to increasing Islamist and right-wing threats to the public.[48] They also declared antisemitism as an emergency.[49]

Politics

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the government will do "everything in our power to keep British Jews safe", including "a fundamental reset of how we counter extremism" and additional funding to deploy specialist officers. Starmer added "We won't relent in our fight against antisemitism and terror. Any perpetrators will feel the full force of the law."[50][51] The Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch described the attacks as an "epidemic of violence against Jewish people", with the Jewish community being "under constant attack". Badenoch concluded: "It is now a national emergency and needs to be treated as such by the government and public authorities."[52]

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the incidents as a "national disgrace", criticising the government for not addressing the "root causes", including incitement, religious indoctrination, media bias, and tolerance of antisemitic and anti-Zionist discrimination.[53] The party's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf linked the attacks to illegal migrant crossings on the English Channel, stating that it is clear that some of the military-aged Iranian men crossing the Channel on small boats are "almost certainly IRGC operatives".[54]

The leader of the Green Party, Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, expressed concern over the arson attacks, but added: "Now, there's a conversation to be had about whether it's a perception of unsafety or whether it's actual unsafety, but neither are acceptable."[55] Polanski's comments received significant backlash from the some within the Jewish community.[56] Starmer described it as "disgraceful" to suggest fears of attacks on Jews were merely "a perception of reality",[56] while the Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey said he was "shocked" by Polanski's "outrageous" comment, adding: "How dare he say it's perception. It's a reality."[57] Polanski refused to apologise for his comment.[56]

Community

Following the Hatzola ambulance arson attack, an online fundraiser raised more than £3.2 million for the charity.[45] Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said that "a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum", stressing that we cannot wait for fatalities "before we understand just how dangerous this moment is for all of our society."[58] Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally sent the Jewish community her "wholehearted support, solidarity and prayers", adding: "An attack on Jewish people is an attack on us all—we must stand together against the virulence of antisemitism that brings only violence, fear and hatred."[59]

Following the Finchley synagogue attack, over 20 community groups came together to show support for the synagogue.[60] This included the local Somali Bravanese community, many of whom arrived in the area as refugees, and whose own centre was destroyed in an arson attack in 2013, after which the synagogue offered their space for the community to use for prayers during Ramadan for four years.[61]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Hybrid Threat Signals: Assessing Possible Iranian Involvement in Recent Attacks in Europe". International Centre for Counter-Terrorism - ICCT. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  2. ↑ Loft, Philip (16 June 2026). "Iranian state threat activities in the UK" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 2026-08-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. 1 2 "'Iranian terror attack' foiled with hours to spare". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  4. ↑ "Two men in court charged with spying on London Jewish community for Iran". BBC News. 19 March 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Man admits threats to kill Jewish schoolchildren". news.bbc.co.uk. 2026-06-26. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
  6. 1 2 Morris, Isobel Anderson (2026-06-26). "Man, 35, admits threatening to kill Jewish schoolchildren". LBC. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
  7. 1 2 Kirk, Tristan (2026-06-26). "Hackney man admits threatening to 'decapitate' Jewish schoolchildren". The Standard. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
  8. ↑ "UK police probe attack on Jewish ambulances". France 24. Agence France-Presse. 23 March 2026. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  9. ↑ Crowe, David (23 March 2026). "Iranian terror group claims arson attack on Jewish ambulances in London". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  10. ↑ Mackintosh, Thomas (24 March 2026). "Golders Green: Replacement ambulances arrive after London arson attack". BBC News. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Two people arrested after attempted arson attack on synagogue in north London". Sky News. 15 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "Police investigating after 'discarded items' found near Israeli embassy in central London". ITV News. 17 April 2026. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  13. ↑ Badshah, Nadeem (18 April 2026). "Kensington Gardens reopens after police deem suspicious items non-hazardous". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  14. ↑ Brown, Kat (19 April 2026). "Six things to know after arson attacks on Jewish synagogues". The i Paper. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "Investigation launched into arson at business in Hendon". Metropolitan Police. 18 April 2026. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  16. ↑ "U.K. police investigate arson attack on building formerly housing Jewish charity". CBS News. Agence France-Presse. 18 April 2026. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  17. 1 2 Foster, Aurelia (20 April 2026). "Two arrested over Kenton synagogue arson attack". BBC News. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  18. ↑ McMenemy, Rachael (21 April 2026). "Watford Jewish-owned shop fire treated as religiously aggravated". BBC News. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  19. ↑ "Appeal following arson in Watford". www.herts.police.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  20. ↑ Ben-David, Daniel (21 April 2026). "Jewish-owned shop in Watford targeted in arson attack". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  21. ↑ "Seven arrests after planned arson on Jewish community in London". BBC News. 21 April 2026. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  22. ↑ Clarke, Amy (28 April 2026). "Suspected arson attack at Golders Green memorial wall". BBC News. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  23. ↑ Rawlinson, Kevin (28 April 2026). "Met investigating suspected arson attack on north London memorial wall". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  24. 1 2 Amos, Owen; Manning, Lucy (29 April 2026). "Two Jewish men seriously injured after being stabbed in Golders Green, north London". BBC News. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  25. ↑ Specia, Megan (29 April 2026). "2 People Stabbed in North London, Jewish Charity Says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  26. ↑ Tait, Albert (29 April 2026). "Golders Green terror suspect 'had history of violence'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  27. ↑ Dodd, Vikram; Horton, Helena (2026-05-05). "Police investigate suspected arson attack at former synagogue in east London". The Guardian. Retrieved 2026-05-21.
  28. ↑ "Was former synagogue targeted in London arson attack a mosque?". The New Arab. 2026-05-06. Retrieved 2026-05-21.
  29. ↑ Sky News, "Two men charged in connection with filming antisemitic TikTok videos in Stamford Hill", 9 May 2026.
  30. ↑ The Guardian, "Two men charged over alleged filming of antisemitic TikTok videos in London", 9 May 2026.
  31. ↑ ITV News, "Pair who filmed antisemitic abuse of Jewish man for TikTok plead guilty", 9 May 2026.
  32. ↑ Cecil, Nicholas (3 June 2026). "Pram set alight in 'arson attack' at block of flats with young Jewish families in Golders Green". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
  33. ↑ Stub, Zev (2026-06-03). "Jewish apartment building in London's Golders Green targeted in suspected arson, no injuries". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  34. ↑ "Hybrid Threat Signals: Assessing Possible Iranian Involvement in Recent Attacks in Europe". International Centre for Counter-Terrorism - ICCT. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  35. ↑ Dayan, Linda (March 26, 2026). "The Mysterious Iran-linked Terror Group Attacking Jewish Targets in Europe". Haaretz. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  36. 1 2 "7 people arrested over planned arson attack on UK Jewish community". Politico. 21 April 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  37. 1 2 "Man arrested over attacks on Jewish community in London". BBC News. 27 April 2026. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  38. ↑ Lavelle, Daniel (18 April 2026). "Fourth suspect in London arson attack on Jewish ambulances remanded in custody". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  39. ↑ "Seven arrests after planned arson on Jewish community in London". BBC News. 21 April 2026. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  40. ↑ Men in court over alleged arson at former synagogue, BBC
  41. ↑ "Two more arrests over alleged Jewish site arson plot". BBC News. 22 April 2026. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  42. ↑ Ali, Taz; Ambrose, Tom (29 April 2026). "Two Jewish men stabbed in north London as Starmer condemns 'appalling antisemitic attack' – latest updates". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  43. ↑ Yang, Maya; Burke, Jason (2026-05-16). "US charges man with plotting Iran-directed attacks on Jews in London and New York". The Guardian. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
  44. 1 2 "Behind the scenes with Met Police hunting synagogue arsonists". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  45. 1 2 "£3.2m raised for Jewish charity's ambulance service after arson attack". Sky News. 25 March 2026.
  46. 1 2 3 "Police resources stepped up in north west London". Mynewsdesk. 18 April 2026. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  47. ↑ Watts, Nicholas Cecil, Matt (21 April 2026). "London 'under attack' from Iran says anti-terror chief as 7 more arrested over arsons". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 22 April 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  48. ↑ "UK terrorism threat level raised to severe after Golders Green attack". BBC News. 1 May 2026. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  49. ↑ "U.K. calls antisemitism an emergency after arson and stabbing attacks on Jewish people". NPR. Associated Press. 30 April 2026. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  50. ↑ Davis, Margaret (21 April 2026). "PM pledges unrelenting fight against antisemitism as seven more arrested". Belfast Telegraph.
  51. ↑ Harpin, Lee (22 April 2026). "PM speaks of 'fundamental reset of how we counter extremism' after arson attacks". Jewish News. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  52. ↑ "Golders Green latest: Two people stabbed and man arrested, Jewish security group says". Sky News. 29 April 2026.
  53. ↑ Bell-Cross, Lorin (22 April 2026). "Labour failing to tackle roots of hatred, say cross-party MPs". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  54. ↑ Cecil, Nicholas (22 April 2026). "Iran IRGC hardliners 'heading to UK', says Farage's Reform amid London arson attacks". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  55. ↑ Calder, Jamie (25 April 2026). "Zack Polanski slams Keir Starmer over antisemitism comments". The National.
  56. 1 2 3 "Polanski refuses to apologise over 'anti-Semitic comment'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  57. ↑ Henry, Charlotte (29 April 2026). "'I'm shocked by Zack Polanski talking about Jewish perception of unsafety. It flies in the face of reality,' says Lib Dem leader". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  58. ↑ "Arson attacks 'gathering momentum', Chief Rabbi says". BBC News. 19 April 2026. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  59. ↑ Macintyre, James (22 April 2026). "Archbishop of Canterbury 'appalled' by rise in anti-Semitism across UK". Church Times. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  60. ↑ Floyd, David (22 April 2026). "MP hails 'Finchley at its finest' in response to synagogue attack". Barnet Post. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  61. ↑ Addley, Esther (18 April 2026). "'A quiet, radical act': Muslim neighbours support members of attacked London synagogue". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
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