UK police probe attack on Jewish ambulances as hate crime
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
LONDON: British police said on Monday (Mar 23) that they were investigating a suspected arson attack as an antisemitic hate crime, after volunteer ambulances run by a Jewish organisation were set on fire.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the burning of four vehicles in north London as a "deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack".
"My thoughts are with the Jewish community who are waking up this morning to this horrific news. Antisemitism has no place in our society," he said in a post on X.
The London Fire Brigade said it was alerted to vehicles on fire at Highfield Court in Golders Green at 1.40am.
Some 40 firefighters called to the scene found that multiple cylinders on the vehicles had exploded, breaking windows in an adjacent block.
London's Metropolitan Police said the burnt vehicles were four Hatzalah ambulances belonging to the Jewish Community Ambulance service.
"Officers remain on scene and the arson attack is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime," police said in a statement.
No injuries have been reported and all the fires have been put out, police added.
Mark Reisner, an eyewitness who lives in the neighbourhood, heard loud explosions and arrived at the scene “just as the third ambulance was blowing up”, he told Sky News.
“A very loud explosion, you sort of felt it go through your guts,” he said, adding that “it's just left us all reeling with confusion and shock".
"We are in the process of examining CCTV and are aware of online footage. We believe we are looking for three suspects at this early stage," superintendent Sarah Jackson said, adding that no arrest has been made.
Nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution while some roads in the area were closed.
London Fire Brigade said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Shomrim North West London, a charity and volunteer neighbourhood watch group, condemned the arson, branding it a "targeted and deeply concerning incident affecting a vital emergency service serving the local Jewish community".
"An attack on these ambulances is an attack on the safety, wellbeing, and resilience of our community ... There is no place for antisemitism or hate in our society," the group wrote on Facebook.
Health Secretary West Streeting described the incident as "a sickening attack on Jewish ambulances" and called on anyone with information to share it with police.
Community Security Trust (CST), a charity which monitors antisemitism in the UK, said in a statement on X that it was assisting police in their enquiries.
The ambulances are run by Hatzola, which was established in 1979 and is operated by volunteers.
It provides free medical transportation and emergency response to those living in North London.
The number of antisemitic incidents reported across the UK has soared since the start of the Israel-Hamas War in late 2023, according to CST.
The group recorded 3,700 in 2025, up from 1,662 in 2022.
In October 2025, an attacker drove his car into people gathered outside a Manchester synagogue to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur and stabbed one person to death.
Another person died during the attack after being inadvertently shot by police.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app