London: Two Jewish pedestrians were stabbed in the north-west London neighbourhood by a man, in the latest in a series of assaults targeting the community. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he was “deeply concerned” over the incident.
The British counter-terrorism police have declared the incident a “terror attack”.
The incident occurred earlier in the day in the north-west London neighbourhood, where a man armed with a knife randomly attacked Jewish pedestrians, Xinhua news agency reports.
Community watch group Shomrim said on social media that the attacker was “running along Golders Green Road armed with a knife and attempting to stab Jewish members of the public.”
Police officers responding to the incident were also attacked. The suspect was subsequently subdued with a Taser and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, the Metropolitan Police said, adding that he remains in custody.
The two victims, aged 76 and 34, suffered stab wounds and are currently in hospital, said Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing at the Metropolitan Police. The suspect is a 45-year-old man.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said the suspect has “a history of serious violence and mental health issues.”
Following an emergency COBRA meeting, Starmer said on social media that his government would act to make local Jewish community feel safe and fight antisemitism. “This is not an isolated incident. It is the latest in a spate of utterly vile attacks on the Jewish community,” he said.
King Charles III, currently on a state visit to the United States, has kept fully informed and is “deeply concerned” about the incident, according to British media.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the capital’s Jewish community has faced “a series of shocking antisemitic attacks,” and stressed that “there must be absolutely no place for antisemitism in society.”
The stabbing follows a series of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in London.
On March 23, four volunteer-led ambulances in Golders Green were set on fire, causing explosions. Three people were charged earlier this month in connection with the case.
A suspected arson attack involving a memorial wall was reported in the same area on Monday. While the case is under investigation by counter-terrorism police, it is not currently being treated as terrorism.
On April 21, police said seven people had been arrested over an alleged plan to carry out an arson attack against the Jewish community, although the exact target remained unclear. On the same day, a 17-year-old boy pleaded guilty to carrying out a petrol bomb attack at a synagogue in Kenton, north-west London, on April 18.
British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said an enhanced police presence had been deployed and pledged to “strain every sinew” to protect the Jewish community.
(IANS)
