Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish organization were set on fire in front of a synagogue in the Golders Green area of London in the early hours of Monday (23). The incident is being treated as an anti-Semitic hate crime, according to local police.
Security camera images shared with CNN showed three masked individuals approaching an ambulance belonging to Hatzola Northwest, a volunteer organization that responds to medical emergencies, and setting the vehicle on fire. The action took place at 1:36 am, in front of the Machzikei Hadath synagogue.
Hatzola Northwest President Shloimie Richman confirmed to CNN that four of the organization’s ambulances were set on fire, stating that they were “deliberately targeted by one”.
“Obviously, we are concerned that this is a direct attack on the Jewish community,” Richman said.
Local resident Charlie Richards said she had heard “multiple explosions since 2am”. A video recorded by Richards showed a large orange explosion and smoke rising into the sky.
“An investigation has been launched after four ambulances belonging to the Jewish Community Ambulance Service were set on fire in Golders Green,” it said in a statement. “Officers remain at the scene and the arson attack is being treated as a .”
Golders Green is home to many synagogues, schools and kosher restaurants, and is known for its large Jewish and Orthodox Jewish community. The London borough of Barnet, where Golders Green is located, had the highest proportion of Jews in a metropolitan area in England in 2021, according to census data from that year.
*with information from CNN and Reuters
