Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish emergency service have been set on fire in an anti-Semitic attack outside a London synagogue.
The vehicles, owned by the volunteer-run Jewish service Hatzola Northwest, were firebombed on Monday morning at Golders Green in London.
Metropolitan Police are searching for three suspects, and the force has confirmed that the suspected arson attack is being treated as an “anti-Semitic hate crime”.
“We are in the process of examining CCTV and are aware of online footage. We believe we are looking for three suspects at this early stage. There have been no arrests yet, and we would urge anyone with information to please contact us as soon as possible.”
Footage shared on social media showed three hooded figures approaching the parked ambulances in the early hours of the morning.
The London Fire Brigade said six fire engines and 40 firefighters attended the scene at Highfield Road after they received calls from residents at 1.40am. The fire was brought under control by 3.06am and no one was injured.
“Multiple cylinders on the vehicles exploded and caused windows to break in an adjacent block of flats,” the force said.
Hatzola Northwest is a non-profit, volunteer organisation that provides free emergency medical care and transport to hospital for Jews. It has operated in Golders Green, home to one of Britain’s largest Jewish communities, since 1979. I have seen them in action at Jewish events, acting in the same way as the more familiar St John’s Ambulance brigade. Their work is not solely for Jews; they are for community.
Shomrim North West London, volunteer neighbourhood-watch team, said it was aware of explosions in the area. “Emergency services are on scene following a deliberate incident involving Hatzola ambulances being set alight,” it wrote in a post on X. “The explosions were caused by oxygen tanks not a bomb or explosive device. Although some buildings have been evacuated, no casualties have been reported. Please avoid the area while investigations continue.”
Nearby houses have been evacuated as a precaution and road closures remain in place.
