'It's a miracle I'm alive'

A Jewish man stabbed during a terror attack in north London has relived the moment he was attacked, saying it’s a “miracle” he wasn’t killed.

Shilome Rand, 34, was taken to hospital after being stabbed in Golders Green on Wednesday.

A second man, Mosche Ben Baila, 76, named locally as Moshe Shine, was also attacked and hospitalised.

Mr Rand told ITV News that he had just left his local synagogue and was on his way to work, when he was stabbed in the chest.

He said: “This fellow came towards me and just stabbed me in the chest… I jumped back, so thankfully it was only one stab.

It could have taken my life.”
He went on: “All afternoon I’ve had calls and texts coming in, people are really afraid, people are uncomfortable walking in the streets.

People are blaming obviously the Government.

“You know they aren’t doing anything about what’s going on for the past few months.

Really our community is suffering from these kind of attacks and now they’re trying to take people’s lives.”
Mr Rand said he was initially told that he would need emergency surgery, but that his wound was not as bad as first feared.

He added: “I am here and I can talk, and it’s really a miracle that has happened to me today.”
Footage of the Golders Green attack posted online appears to show a man waiting at a bus stop putting on a kippah before an attacker lunges at him.

Another clip shows two police officers facing down the knife man in the middle of the road, before using a Taser and kicking him repeatedly in the head.

Body-worn footage released by the Metropolitan Police shows the moment their officers came face to face with the suspect who could be seen walking towards them.

The officers could be heard shouting “get down on the ground” before tasering the man and grappling with him as they could be heard to shout repeatedly “drop the knife”.

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A member of the public could also be seen intervening and helping to apprehend the suspect.

“The suspect refused to show his hands, was violent and continued to pose a clear threat,” the force said.

Britain’s most senior police officer, Sir Mark Rowley , said that the suspect has a history of serious violence and mental health problems .

Sir Mark told journalists that two police officers who tasered and arrested the knifeman believed he had a bomb when they confronted him.

But he and Sarah Sackman, the Labour MP for Finchley and Golders Green, were heckled with calls to resign by members of the public as they gave statements at the scene.

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis warned “words of condemnation are no longer sufficient”, adding “this is a hatred that we must face down together”.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the attack was the latest in a string of antisemitic incidents following a Cobra meeting on Wednesday.

Sir Keir Starmer said: “Let’s be frank, this is not an isolated incident.

There’s been a series of antisemitic attacks and I know first hand the anxiety that that is causing in the community and concern.

“I was at Kenton synagogue last week where I heard a lot about that level of anxiety.

It’ll be worse after today.

“We’re very much in touch with the community, and I’ll visit as soon as possible.”
The Prime Minister suggested that the Government would deal with “the root causes of extremism and antisemitism”.

He also told broadcasters that he would meet with criminal justice agencies on Thursday.

The King, currently on a visit to the US, is being kept informed, and “is naturally deeply concerned” about the impact on the Jewish community.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “The Prince and Princess of Wales are following the situation closely and are, of course, concerned about the attacks upon the Jewish community.

“The innocent victims of today’s attack are in their thoughts and they wish them a speedy recovery.”
The scene is around half a mile from a memorial wall where an attempted arson attack took place on Monday, and near to where four Jewish community ambulances were destroyed by fire in late March.

These are among a number of alleged arson attacks on Jewish sites in London in recent weeks, with a group called Hayi claiming responsibility.

It has also said it is responsible for the stabbing, although this is being treated with some scepticism due to the differing nature of the knife attack.

The other incidents involve arson or attempted arson, and one where a drone was flown near the Israeli embassy.