Rabbi warns ‘visibly Jewish’ people aren’t safe as attack victims are named

Sir Ephraim Mirvis called on the British public to support Jewish communities
The UK’s chief Rabbi has said Jewish people are not safe all the time on British streets as he called on the public to support Jewish communities in the wake of Wednesday’s double stabbing .

Sir Ephraim Mirvis told the Jewish Chronicle the two men stabbed on Wednesday had been attacked because they were “visibly Jewish”.

A terrorist incident was declared on Wednesday following the attack.

The Metropolitan Police force confirmed that the 45-year-old suspect, who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder, is a British national who was born in Somalia.

The two victims, who have been named as Nachman Moshe ben Chaya Sarah and Moshe Ben Baila, were taken to hospital with knife wounds following the incident on Highfield Avenue.

Police said the suspect had a “history of serious violence and mental health issues”.

During a press conference, Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley was heckled with chants of “resign” and “shame on you”, while prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has called an emergency Cobra meeting.

It comes after a string of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in north London .

Watch: Terror police believe Golders Green suspect was involved in earlier altercation
Golders Green victim 'holds government responsible'
One of the victims of the double stabbing in Golders Green has accused the government of "not doing its job" in protecting the Jewish community.

Speaking to ITV News, Shilome Rand, 34, said British Jews are “blaming the government” for “not doing anything” about a recent string of incidents targeting the Jewish community.

"People are really concerned, people are afraid, people are uncomfortable walking in the street, people are blaming obviously the government for not doing anything about what's going on," he said.

"It's for the past few months really that our community is suffering from these type of attacks.

And now it's going on and trying to take people's lives and it's really terrible."
Police are investigating claims that attack was linked to the Iranian regime
The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Shabana Mahmood has said the police are investigating claims that the latest attack in Golders Green was linked to the Iranian regime, and refused to say whether she believes the attacker was acting alone.

"The full facts will be established and they will be made public at the appropriate moment, but you are right.

We have seen a spate of attacks in recent weeks, and obviously those are also being investigated.

"Some of those have been claimed by groups that claim to be linked to the Iranian regime.

In fact, those claims are also being investigated, as are those incidents."
She added: "I think it's right that the police have the space to get on with their with their job, and what I can assure your viewers and also the wider communities, is that each of those investigations is progressing at pace.

Something like 28 arrests have already been made.

The attacker for the incident yesterday has also been apprehended, and all of these individuals will face the full force of the law."
Everything we know so far about the suspect
Police have arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder following the double stabbing on Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed the suspect is a British national who was born in Somalia.

He has a history of serious violence and mental health issues, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said in a statement at the scene.

The force also said that they are investigating an earlier “altercation” in Southwark which the suspect is believed to have been involved in.

The incident left a person with minor injuries.

Shabana Mahmood has confirmed that the attacker in Golders Green was a 45-year-old man who was born in Somalia.

She added: "The incident is obviously being investigated at pace by the police, and we will make more information available as the investigation progresses."
Men were attacked for being 'visibly Jewish', chief Rabbi says
The victims of the double stabbing in Golders Green on Wednesday were targeted for being “visibly Jewish,” the UK’s chief Rabbi has said.

Speaking to the Jewish Chronicle, Sir Ephraim Mirvis said Jewish communities are “not safe all the time” on British streets.

“On this very road, close to this very point, two people who are visibly Jewish were attacked because they were visibly Jewish,” he said.

“What that means is Jewish people are not safe all the time.”
He also urged what he called the “silent community” within the British public to condemn the violence and show support for British Jews.

Jewish buildings in UK are now ‘effectively compounds’, Golders Green rabbi says
Every Jewish building in the UK is now “effectively a compound” , t he rabbi at Golders Green synagogue has said after two men were stabbed in an antisemitic terror attack on Wednesday.

It was the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting the Jewish community in north west London in recent weeks.

Rabbi Ben Kurzer told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Any Jewish building now is effectively a compound - any synagogue, any school will have high fences, a lot of money put into security guards.”
He added: “I think that’s having to deal with the problem in a very unfortunate way.

What we’d like to see is for the root cause to be dealt with.

There are obviously backers of these individuals who are carrying out these attacks.”
Asked if British Jews were considering leaving the country as a result of the recent attacks, which have seen synagogues and Jewish community ambulances targeted, Rabbi Kurzer said: “I think people are still wanting to be able to continue to make their lives here.

“They are passionate about being British Jews… I think there is hope that can continue.

“But this is escalating in alarming ways and needs to stop.”
Police cordon in Golders Green lifted
A police cordon surrounding the scene of a terror attack on two Jewish men in Golders Green has been lifted.

Parts of Highfield Avenue, Beverley Gardens and Golders Green Road in north-west London had been sealed off following the stabbings on Wednesday, but the roads were opened again by 7am on Thursday.

Traffic has resumed along Golders Green Road in both directions.

Shabana Mahmood condemns 'horrifying attack' in Golders Green
Shabana Mahmood has condemned the "horrifying attack" in Golders Green, thanking the volunteers and police officers who "ran towards danger" to help.

She added: "I do want to thank the volunteers and the police officers who ran towards danger and who were able to apprehend the attacker".

Government announces additional £25m to increase security for Jewish communities
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer was criticised for the government’s response to a recent spate of attacks targeting the Jewish community in the UK.

Responding to the attack, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded action to protect British Jews and warned: “Words are not enough to confront this scourge”.