Ambulances Belonging To Jewish Charity Set On Fire in Arson Attack
Four ambulances belonging to Hatzola Northwest, a Jewish volunteer emergency service, were deliberately set on fire in Golders Green in the early hours of Monday morning, in what the Metropolitan Police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime.
The attack happened at around 1:40am outside the Machzikei Hadath synagogue on Highfield Road, in a north London neighbourhood home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the country. Gas canisters onboard the burning vehicles exploded, shattering windows in a nearby block of flats and forcing around 30 residents to be evacuated to a local shelter. Six fire engines and approximately 40 firefighters were sent to the scene, and the blaze was under control by 3:06am. No injuries were reported.
Security camera footage, timestamped 1:36am, shows three masked figures dressed in black approaching one of the ambulances and setting it alight. Police said they are looking for three suspects but have made no arrests. "We are in the process of examining CCTV and are aware of online footage," said Superintendent Sarah Jackson. "We know this incident will cause a great deal of community concern and officers remain on scene to carry out urgent enquiries."
Hatzola Northwest chairman Shloimie Richman confirmed that four of the organisation's six ambulances had been destroyed. Each vehicle costs around £125,000. "Obviously we have concerns that this is a direct attack on the Jewish community," Richman said, adding that no threats had been received beforehand.
Founded in 1979, Hatzola is a free, volunteer-run emergency service that responds to thousands of calls each year across north London and serves the wider community as well as Jewish residents. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis called it "a particularly sickening assault — not only on the Jewish community, but on the values we share as a society. Our Hatzola volunteer ambulance corps is an extraordinary service, whose sole mission is to protect life, Jewish and non-Jewish alike."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it "a deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack" and said that he had been in contact with Jewish community leaders. "Antisemitism has no place in our society and it's really important that we all stand together at a moment like this," he said.
Local councillor Peter Zinkin said that the community felt "distress and anger," adding: "Burning ambulances in the middle of the night is a disgrace." Councillor and local resident Shimon Ryde, who was taken to the evacuation shelter, said: "It's very shocking, it's not unexpected... the Jewish community is very aware of the danger we live in."
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the community "will meet the moment with strength, pride and resolve. We will replace the ambulances and continue our service to this nation that we love. We shall not be moved."
The Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism in the UK and is assisting police, noted parallels with recent attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands including a synagogue explosion in Liège and further incidents in Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
Antisemitic incidents in the UK reached record levels in 2024, with the CST recording 3,700 incidents in 2025 alone, up from 1,662 in 2022. Last year, two Jewish worshippers were killed in a car ramming and stabbing attack outside a Manchester synagogue during Yom Kippur. Last week, two men in London were charged with conducting surveillance of the UK Jewish community on behalf of Iran.
The Israeli embassy wrote on X: "Antisemitism is rife on the streets of London. Enough is enough. There must be thorough investigation and decisive action to put an end to this climate of intimidation before it spirals further."
Police said they were engaging with faith leaders and increasing patrols in the area. Anyone with information has been urged to come forward.
