On Thursday, the United Kingdom raised its official terrorism threat level from substantial to severe, the second-highest rung on a five-point scale, indicating that intelligence agencies consider an attack highly likely within the next six months. The move came a day after two Jewish men, aged 34 and 76, were seriously injured in a stabbing in Golders Green, a neighbourhood in north London that serves as a hub for the city's Jewish community. Both victims are in stable condition.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Golders Green on Thursday, where he was met by about 100 protesters holding signs that read “Keir Starmer, Jew harmer.” In a televised statement from Downing Street, Starmer acknowledged the community's anxiety: “I absolutely understand the high levels of anxiety and concern that there are.” He added, “Antisemitism is an old, old hatred. History shows that the roots are deep, and if you turn away, it grows back. Yet far too many people in this country diminish it.”
Police have arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder and labelled the attack as an act of terrorism. The suspect, whose name has not been released, has a history of serious violence and mental health issues. Authorities are investigating whether there is any link to Iranian proxies. The suspect was referred to the government's Prevent programme in 2020, but his file was closed later that year; the reason for the referral has not been disclosed.
A Surge in Antisemitic Incidents
Britain's Jewish community, numbering around 300,000, has faced a sharp rise in attacks both online and on the streets. According to the Community Security Trust charity, the number of reported antisemitic incidents has soared since the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war in Gaza. Last October, an attacker drove a car into people gathered outside a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, fatally stabbing one person; another person died after being inadvertently shot by police.
Since the start of the Iran war on 28 February, a string of arson attacks has targeted synagogues and other Jewish sites in London, as well as opponents of the Iranian government. Police have arrested 28 people in connection with those attacks, which caused no injuries. A handful have been charged, and one teenager has been convicted after pleading guilty.
Several arson attacks have been claimed online by a group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which translates to the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right. Israel's government has described it as a recently founded group with suspected links to an Iranian proxy, and it has also claimed responsibility for attacks on synagogues in Belgium and the Netherlands. An online post under the same name claimed responsibility for Wednesday's stabbing.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said authorities are investigating whether that claim is credible or “opportunistic.” Security experts have warned that the name may be a flag of convenience rather than a coherent group, and its claims should be treated with caution. The UK has accused Iran of using criminal proxies to conduct attacks on European soil, targeting Iranian opposition media outlets and the Jewish community. Britain's MI5 domestic intelligence service says it disrupted more than 20 “potentially lethal” Iran-backed plots in the year ending in October.
The stabbing in Golders Green has intensified fears of a broader antisemitism crisis in the UK. For a detailed account of the attack itself, see our earlier report: Golders Green Stabbing: Police Taser Suspect After Attack on Two Jewish Men. The incident also comes amid a wider pattern of attacks on Jewish sites across Europe, as explored in Stabbing in Golders Green Raises Fears Over Antisemitic Attacks in London.
