Two men were stabbed on Wednesday in the north London area of Golders Green, a hub of Jewish life in Britain, according to London’s Metropolitan Police Service.
The attack, which unfolded in late morning near Golders Green Road, left the men — one in his 70s and one in his 30s — with stab injuries. Both were taken to a hospital and are in a stable condition, the police said in a statement.
One man, who is 45, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and counterterrorism police are leading the investigation, the police said.
The attack came at a time of heightened anxiety for Jewish communities across Europe, after several antisemitic attacks. In October, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, a man who the police said had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State attacked a synagogue in Manchester, in northern England, leading to the deaths of two people.
The suspect in the attack on Wednesday also attempted to stab police officers and was hit with a Taser before he was arrested, the police said. They added that they were “working to establish his nationality and background.”
“Specialist officers from Counterterrorism Policing are leading the investigation and working with the Metropolitan Police to establish the full circumstances and any links to terrorism,” the police said in their statement.
The Golders Green neighborhood was also the site of an arson attack in March, and counterterrorism police have been involved in that investigation. By Wednesday afternoon, there was a heavy police presence in the area. People stepped out of kosher restaurants and looked uneasily skyward at a helicopter still circling overhead.
Security had already been increased across the Jewish community in London, with additional police officers, private security and volunteer groups all involved in aiming to ensure safety. “While I must stress this investigation is at an early stage, we are working quickly to understand exactly what happened,” Laurence Taylor, the head of Counterterrorism Policing, said.
Luke Williams, detective chief superintendent of the Metropolitan Police, who leads policing in the area, said officials “are aware of the significant distress and concern this incident is likely to cause in the face of a number of incidents in the local area. A suspect is in custody, and investigators are considering all possible motives.”
“Officers will remain at the scene for some time to carry out further enquiries, speak to local people and offer reassurance,” he added.
Shomrim, a volunteer-run Jewish charity that runs civilian security patrols in the area, said in a statement posted on social media that one man “was seen running along Golders Green Road armed with a knife and attempting to stab Jewish members of the public.”
The charity said the man had been arrested, and two people who had been stabbed were treated by Hatzola, a medical charity. Hatzola was targeted with an arson attack on its ambulances in the same neighborhood last month that caused a million pounds, or roughly $1.35 million, of damage. Four young men, including a 17-year-old, have been charged with arson in that case.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement posted to social media, “The antisemitic attack in Golders Green is utterly appalling.”
“Attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain,” he wrote. “Those responsible will be brought to justice.”
Amelia Nierenberg contributed reporting from Golders Green.