Man arrested after stabbing two people in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in London

A man was arrested this Wednesday after stabbing two people in the predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Golders Green, in north London, according to Shomrim, the organization that provides neighborhood watch for this community. At least half of the area’s population identifies as Jewish.

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“A man was seen running along Golders Green Road armed with a knife and attempting to stab Jewish citizens. Shomrim officers responded immediately and detained the suspect. Police arrived at the scene and used a Taser gun,” the group’s northwest London delegation stated. According to the BBC, the two victims are Jewish.

In a statement, the Community Security Trust, the Jewish security organization, said: “Today there was a knife attack in Golders Green. The suspect has been detained. We want to thank @shomrimlondon, @Hatzola and @metpoliceuk for their quick response. We are working closely with the police and urge anyone with information to contact the police and CST immediately.”

A witness told the BBC that one of the victims was stabbed in front of some shops on Golders Green Road, and the other on a side street, in front of a synagogue.

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“The attack in Golders Green is very concerning,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was participating in the weekly Government question session in the House of Commons when the news broke. “We must be absolutely firm in confronting this type of crime, which we have suffered too much from lately,” he added.

The incident occurred just weeks after a series of arson attacks against the Jewish community in north London. The first took place precisely in Golders Green on March 23. Several ambulances from a private assistance service for the Jewish community were set on fire. Since then, similar episodes have occurred in the towns of Harpenden, Stevenage, and Birmingham. At least 15 people have been arrested as a result of various police investigations.

Downing Street has ordered increased security for the Jewish community in the United Kingdom following the Hamas attacks on October 7 in Israel. However, that protection detail was multiplied in the number of police officers and monitored locations after the attack on the Manchester synagogue last October, which ended with two dead and four injured.

The police shot dead the attacker on that occasion, Jihad Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent who lunged at worshippers attending the religious service at the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester during the celebration of Yom Kippur, the most important holiday of the Jewish community.

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