Two men have been stabbed in London in an area in the city’s north with a large Jewish population.
London’s Metropolitan Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
“The suspect also attempted to stab police officers, and was tasered before being arrested. No officers were injured,” it said in a statement.
“Two men — one in his 70s and one in his 30s — were treated at the scene for stab wounds. They have been taken to hospital and both are in a stable condition.”
Police said the 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and taken into custody, where he remains.
“We are working to establish his nationality and background. Specialist officers from Counter Terrorism Policing are leading the investigation and working with the Metropolitan Police to establish the full circumstances and any links to terrorism,” it said.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing Laurence Taylor said while the investigation was at an early stage, officers “were working quickly to understand exactly what happened”.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the two victims were Jewish Londoners and that he was in close contact with police over the “appalling attack”.
“London’s Jewish community have been the target of a series of shocking antisemitic attacks,” he said on X.
“There must be absolutely no place for antisemitism in society. The Met have stepped up high visibility patrols in the area.”
Shomrim, the Jewish community security organisation in the area, said a man with a knife was seen running down the high street in Golders Green, attempting to stab Jewish people in the area.
The group said it responded immediately and detained the suspect.
“Police attended and deployed a taser,” the group said in a statement.
It said the man had been arrested and was in custody.
Shomrim said the victims were being treated by Hatzola, whose ambulances were set on fire across the road from today’s incident last month.
Keir Starmer said the stabbing of two people in London was “deeply concerning”. (Reuters: Toby Shepheard)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the incident was “deeply concerning”.
“It is deeply concerning to everyone in this house,” Sir Keir said to fellow MPs, saying he had been made aware of the incident before answering questions in parliament.
“There is now a police investigation, and I think we all need to do everything we can to support that investigation and be absolutely clear in our determination to deal with any of these offences, the like of which we’ve seen too much recently.”
The MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Sarah Sackman, said she was meeting the UK’s home secretary “imminently to discuss the urgent situation”.
“I have been made aware of a serious stabbing in Golders Green. The suspect has been detained,” she said in a statement on X.
“The attacks on British Jews are an attack on Britain itself. It is unconscionable that Jews are being targeted in this way.”