Premium

Four ambulances belonging to the Jewish community torched in London, hate crime suspected

Attacks ‌against Jews and Jewish targets have risen worldwide since the October 2023 Hamas attacks ‌in Israel that triggered the Gaza war.

2 min readUpdated: Mar 23, 2026 01:55 PM IST

A burnt car is seen in Golders Green, London, Monday, March 23, 2026 after an apparent arson attack on four vehicles belonging to a Jewish ambulance service, Hatzola Northwest, in London.(AP)

Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish community organisation in north London were set on fire overnight in a suspected antisemitic hate crime, police said on Monday. “An investigation has been launched after four ambulances belonging to the Jewish Community Ambulance service ⁠were set on fire in Golders Green,” Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

“Officers remain on scene and the arson attack is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime,” it said, adding that no injuries had been reported.

The ambulances belonged to ⁠Hatzola, a not-for-profit volunteer organisation that responds to medical emergencies.

The London Fire Brigade said it had ‌sent six fire engines and 40 firefighters to the scene. Calls from residents were recorded at 0140 GMT.

“Multiple cylinders on the vehicles exploded and caused windows to break in an adjacent block of flats. No injuries are reported.” The London Fire Brigade said the fire was under control ⁠by 0306 GMT.

Health Secretary ⁠Wes Streeting called the attack “sickening” in a post on X, adding that “we must stand together ⁠against antisemitic hatred.”

Attacks ‌against Jews and Jewish targets have risen worldwide since the October 2023 Hamas attacks ‌in Israel that triggered the Gaza war.

Story continues below this ad

Mark Gardner, chief executive of the Community Security Trust, which advises Britain’s ‌estimated 290,000 Jews on security matters, said there was an “obvious parallel to similar recent anti-Jewish arson attacks in Liege, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.”

Since the conflict, Britain has recorded significantly higher levels of ⁠antisemitic hate.

The most severe antisemitic incident in Britain last year was the Manchester attack that killed two Jewish worshippers during Yom ‌Kippur, the ⁠holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram