London Police Call Stabbing of Two Jewish Men An Act of Terrorism

Two Jewish men were stabbed Wednesday in Golders Green, one of London's most prominent Jewish neighborhoods, in an attack British police have formally declared an act of terrorism.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called at 11:16 a.m. local time to reports of people being stabbed in the northwest London area. The victims, ages 34 and 76, were taken to a hospital with knife wounds and were reported to be in stable condition, according to police and The Associated Press. A 45-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder after officers used a taser to subdue him.

Counter Terrorism Policing later took the lead in the investigation. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said the attack had "now formally been declared a terrorist incident," adding that investigators were working with security services to build a full intelligence picture.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, speaking from Barnet, described it as "a terrorist attack in north-west London" and said the suspect had a history of serious violence and mental health issues. Police said one line of inquiry is whether the attack deliberately targeted London's Jewish community.

The attack unfolded in an area long associated with a Jewish community, including numerous businesses and community centers. Shomrim, a Jewish neighborhood watch group, and Hatzola, a Jewish emergency medical service, were among those who responded at the scene, according to AP and Reuters. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the stabbing as an "appalling antisemitic attack" and convened a COBRA emergency meeting, The Guardian reported. King Charles III was also being kept informed, according to AP.

The stabbings come after a series of attacks on Jewish sites in London, including suspected arson incidents involving synagogues, Jewish institutions, and community ambulances. Counterterrorism officers are investigating whether Wednesday's attack is connected to those incidents, but police said it was too early to conclude.

The Crown Prosecution Service said specialist terrorism prosecutors were working with police. Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said his thoughts were with the victims and the Jewish community, adding, "We will not tolerate the scourge of antisemitism, and we will do everything in our powers to prosecute those responsible."

Jewish leaders and Israeli officials called for stronger protection after the attack. Reuters reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog urged British authorities to confront rising antisemitism, while Britain's Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis also condemned the violence.

Originally published on IBTimes