British police have arrested two men in connection with an arson attack on four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in London. The incident, which occurred early Monday morning in the Golders Green neighborhood, is being investigated as an antisemitic hate crime. The men, aged 45 and 47, were detained on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and are currently in police custody. Commander Helen Flanagan of Counter Terrorism Policing London described the arrests as an important breakthrough, though CCTV footage suggests a third person may have been involved.
The ambulances, operated by the volunteer organization Hatzola Northwest, were destroyed in the fire, which also caused explosions from oxygen cylinders and damaged nearby buildings. The attack has heightened concerns within the Jewish community, already strained by rising antisemitism and tensions in the Middle East. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the incident as a "horrific antisemitic attack."
Authorities are also investigating a claim of responsibility posted online by a group with potential links to Iran. The Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya (HAYI) group, which has claimed similar attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands, is under scrutiny. Police have not yet declared the incident a terror attack but are exploring all possible motives. Enhanced security measures, including visible firearms patrols, have been implemented around Jewish schools, synagogues, and community centers ahead of Passover.
The investigation remains active, with police conducting searches at two properties in north London. The community has expressed heightened anxiety, and officials have urged calm while reassuring that efforts to identify all involved parties are ongoing.