Summary

  1. 'He just heard there was someone with a knife and went to help'published at 20:50 BST

    Rabbi Shraga Feivel Zimmerman tells BBC Radio London how a volunteer from Shomrim - the Jewish security group - came to his home after confronting the Golders Green attacker.

    Zimmerman lives near where the attack happened, and says the volunteer sought counselling support from his wife.

    "He acted heroically but afterwards he was in state of shock," Zimmerman says.

    "When he left, he was quite calm. He reacted instinctively he didn’t think about what the consequences could have been for him.

    "He did not even know someone had been stabbed. He just heard there was someone with a knife and went to help."

    Reflecting on the violence, the rabbi says: "It has become very popular for people to say that this is senseless violence, but it is not senseless.

    "It is random but it is not senseless, it is calculated it’s intentional to sow fear amongst people."

    A police officer, out of focus, stands in the foreground of a road block with multiple police vehicles.Image source, PA Media
  2. Prince and Princess of Wales 'concerned about the attacks on Jewish community'published at 20:33 BST

    Kensington Palace has shared a statement saying the Prince and Princess of Wales are following the situation closely and "are, of course, concerned about the attacks upon the Jewish community".

    “The innocent victims of today’s attack are in their thoughts and they wish them a speedy recovery," a spokesperson for Kensington Palace says.

    It follows a statement from Buckingham Palace that said the King was "deeply concerned" about the impact on the Jewish community.

    A file photo of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of WalesImage source, Samir Hussein/WireImage
  3. 'This feels relentless,' Jewish leaders say after string of attackspublished at 20:03 BST

    The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council say they are "sickened" by today's attack.

    "For many in our community, this feels relentless," they say, adding security measures are essential but "not the answer".

    "Government must deliver on its commitments to tackle sources of antisemitic extremism at home and abroad. We will not allow Jewish life to be forced behind barriers.

    "British Jews will not be intimidated. But we should not face this threat alone. A silent majority offers little reassurance."

  4. Starmer says government will 'deal with the roots of antisemitism and extremism'published at 19:12 BST

    Starmer speaks in between two Union JacksImage source, PA Media

    The prime minister says more funding is needed "to give the level of protection that is needed" for the Jewish community.

    Starmer made the comments following a Cobra meeting that was convened in order to coordinate the government's immediate response to the attack. The prime minister will also be meeting with criminal justice agencies tomorrow.

    He says he has spoken with the Community Security Trust, an organisation which provides security for Jewish people, adding: "There is enhanced funding already in place. We need to increase that to give the level of protection that is needed."

    He says the government needs to "take measures to deal with malign state actors, but we also have to be really clear that we need to get to the root causes of extremism and antisemitism, and so that is what we’re doing".

    "It’s our job to make sure [Jewish communities] feel safe and secure. It’s our job to make sure that we absolutely deal with the roots of antisemitism and extremism," he says, "that is what we will do."

  5. Group linked with Iran says it was behind the attack, but caution is neededpublished at 18:46 BST

    Dominic Casciani
    Home and legal correspondent

    A shadowy group, possibly associated with the Iranian regime, is claiming it was behind the attack in Golders Green - although it has not provided any proof.

    Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (Hayi) translates as The Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand.

    It has previously claimed to have had a role in six other attacks against Jewish-affiliated buildings or interests in the UK.

    Little is known about Hayi. It could be a proxy for the Iranian regime because its claims are being promoted by pro-Shia Telegram channels.

    The claim online - seen by BBC Monitoring’s experts on Islamist extremism - attributes the attack to its "lone" attacker and attaches footage from the scene.

    The BBC understands that counter-terrorism investigators know about the claim - but this is where we have to be cautious.

    The claim could be opportunistic. Go back a decade and the self-styled and murderous Islamic State group regularly claimed involvement in attacks in Europe when, in some cases, it had no direct role.

  6. Chief rabbi names stabbing victimspublished at 18:24 BST
    Breaking

    Chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has named the stabbing victims, using their Hebrew names, as Nachman Moshe ben Chaya Sarah and Moshe Ben Baila in a post on X.

    "Please join me in praying for a swift and complete recovery for the victims of today’s attack," he says.

  7. BBC Verify

    What verified video shows about how attack unfoldedpublished at 18:18 BST

    By Thomas Copeland and Kevin Nguyen

    BBC Verify has put together a timeline and map of the route taken by the suspect from video and images shared on social media.

    We first see the suspect in CCTV footage taken on Highfield Avenue, timestamped at 11:15 BST.

    He is jogging along the pavement towards Golders Green Road when he appears to attack a man, who he chases out of view.

    According to the Metropolitan Police, officers responded to reports of people being stabbed in Highfield Avenue at 11:16. Police later said two men – aged 76 and 34 – were stabbed on this road, although footage appeared to show the second stabbing was on nearby Golders Green Road.

    The next clip, filmed from a car driving north along Golders Green Road, shows the suspect chasing after a man on the pavement.

    CCTV footage taken to the north-west on Golders Green Road - timestamped to 11:20 - shows the suspect approaching a bus stop and repeatedly attacking a man waiting there, who he then pushes on to the road and out of view.

    In a picture taken about 90m (300ft) further along the road we get the first glimpse of what appears to be a knife being held by the suspect.

    Finally, we have verified multiple videos and images of the suspect being detained by police who use two Tasers to force him to the ground and arrest him.

    Police can then be seen administering CPR and later footage shows the suspect being lifted on a stretcher into an ambulance.

    A graphic with a map and 5 points marked on it matched to a screengrab from a video corresponding. 1 shows the suspect approaching a man in a black coat and hat on Highfield Road. The rest are on Golders Green Road, heading north-east. 2 shows the attacker jogging, 3 shows the man just before he attacks a man by a bus stop, 4 shows the man walking while carrying a knife and 5 shows him on the ground, with a police officer on top of him and another holding a taser over him.
  8. 'We started seeing people running. It was terrifying': Resident describes scene of attackpublished at 18:14 BST

    Gabriela Pomeroy
    Live reporter

    I have spoken to Daniela, a 29-year-old stay-at-home mum who lives in the Hendon neighbourhood.

    "I was there at the attack today," she says. "I was walking to the butcher and the next thing I know we hear screaming, 'he’s got a knife run'."

    "A man in a car told me someone had been stabbed. That's when we knew to run. And we started seeing people running."

    "It was terrifying," she says.

    "At that moment we weren’t sure what was happening."

    Daniela says she and others took shelter in the nearby bookshop and saw the attacker go past going towards the North Circular road. "He was wearing light grey trousers and a big backpack running past," she says.

    "All the people were pointing at him. We were a group of mums with buggies. The shop owner locked the door. We were speechless. It is scary that as Jews living in the area we just don’t feel safe anymore."

  9. Friend describes younger stabbing victim as 'a terrific guy'published at 18:02 BST

    The younger victim of today's attack has been described as "a terrific guy".

    The victims, aged 76 and 34, are in a stable condition, police have said.

    Eli V, 42, says the younger victim is from north London. "We are a very close community. We know everyone," he says. "You don’t find this community anywhere else in the world."

    He adds that the community feels insecure. "My wife is scared to leave home," he says.

  10. Badenoch calls Jewish safety a 'national emergency'published at 17:52 BST

    Alex Partridge
    Politics reporter

    Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch at the scene in Golders Green stands among police officers and members of Jewish communityImage source, PA Media

    Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says the safety of Jewish people is now a "national emergency".

    Speaking to broadcasters while visiting the scene, she said, "this is something which we have known has been escalating in terms of terrorist attacks and antisemitic incidents, targeting Jews" and the community is "absolutely terrified".

    "Communities where there are large numbers of Jews need an increased police presence".

    She said there should be government funding for Shomrim, the volunteer organisation who responded to the initial reports of the stabbing - which is voluntarily funded by local communities - and more money for the Community Security Trust.

    "The government have said they want to do more, that is one small thing they could do, what has been happening so far as not been enough," she said.

  11. Khan 'determined' to make extra policing for Jewish community permanentpublished at 17:40 BST

    London Mayor Sadiq Khan in a dark suit and tie against a beige background.Image source, Pool

    London Mayor Sadiq Khan says "ordinary Londoners have a responsibility to show allyship and solidarity to Jewish people".

    "I've never experienced this level of attacks on Jewish people across our country," he says.

    Khan says he has spoken to police and the local community today to see "what more we can do and we must do".

    He repeats that Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley has confirmed there will be more policing.

    "The key thing that he and I are determined to do is to make this permanent," Khan says.

    "We need a permanent increased visibility in this community to deter bad people and terrorists from trying to attack this community."

  12. Antisemitic incidents rise sharply in past decade, charity sayspublished at 17:31 BST

    According to figures from the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity which monitors antisemitism in the UK, antisemitic incidents have risen sharply over the past decade.

    The CST defines incidents broadly, covering violent assaults, threats, damage to property and abusive behaviour, both online and offline.

    The organisation has previously linked surges in reports to periods of heightened tension in the Middle East, as well as increased online activity and reporting awareness.

    A particularly pronounced spike is visible in 2023, when reported incidents exceeded 4,000 – by far the highest level on record.

    This Flourish post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.

  13. Visibly Jewish people not safe on British streets, chief rabbi tells BBCpublished at 17:21 BST
    Breaking

    Lucy Manning
    Reporting from Golders Green

    MervisImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Sir Ephraim Mervis in Golders Green earlier

    The chief rabbi has told BBC News that visibly Jewish people are not safe on British streets after the attack in Golders Green.

    "I'm sad to say that today's event proves that if you are visibly Jewish you're not safe, and far more needs to be done," says Sir Ephraim Mervis.

    He says he wants to hear British voices across the country stand with the Jewish community and condemn these attacks.

    "It's a sustained effort to terrorise the Jewish community, which will not succeed, because we're a strong and resilient community.

    "We face these kind of attacks and these incidents with great fortitude. However, this cannot be allowed to continue."

    He says much more needs to be done.

    "We need to tackle not just symptoms, but also the causes. We need to recognise that state-sponsored terrorism on the streets of our country is simply unacceptable."

    • Earlier, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said more than 20 Iran-generated plots had been foiled in the UK in recent years, but that it was "too early to say" if there was an Iran link to today's attacks in Golders Green.
  14. 'Too early to say' if attack was linked to Iran, Met Police commissioner tells BBCpublished at 17:16 BST

    Rajini Vaidyanathan
    Reporting from Golders Green

    Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley.Image source, EPA

    Met Commissioner Mark Rowley has spoken separately to the BBC after his statement to the press.

    Asked whether there is any indication this attack was linked to Iran, he replies: "It is too early to say whether this is an individual inspired or someone directly encouraged - of course the inquiry will work its way through that."

    He continues to say police have seen more than 20 Iran-generated plots on the streets of the UK in recent years, which counter-terror teams working with MI5 have foiled.

    Some, he adds, were intended to be deadly, and some were targeted against Jewish communities.

    Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was also asked earlier whether there was a suspected link to Iran. She replied it was "very early to say" what the motivations may have been and that it would be "improper to speculate".

    "As soon as more facts are established, then we will of course be keeping the public updated," she said.

  15. Footage shows moment police Taser and detain suspect in Golders Greenpublished at 17:05 BST
    Breaking

    We can now bring you footage, filmed on a mobile phone, of the moment police detained the suspect in Golders Green.

    The footage shows the suspect approaching the officers. One officer Tasers him, sending the suspect to the floor, while shouting at him to drop the knife.

    While the suspect is on the floor, the officers kick the suspect in the head as they try to disarm him.

    Earlier, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said the officers "confronted a man they believed to be a terrorist, who refused to show his hands, who was violent and continued to pose a clear threat.

    "These were not armed officers, and they feared that he was carrying an explosive device.

    "Using only their training, their courage and their Tasers, they managed to detain him whilst he continued to try and attack and stab them."

    Media caption,

    Moment suspect is Tasered and arrested by police officers

  16. King 'deeply concerned' after attack - Buckingham Palacepublished at 16:58 BST
    Breaking

    A profile shot of King Charles against a dark background.Image source, Reuters

    Buckingham Palace has just shared a statement, which reads: "His Majesty is being kept fully informed and is naturally deeply concerned, in particular about the impact for the Jewish community.

    "His thoughts and prayers are with the two individuals who were injured and offers his heartfelt gratitude to those who so selflessly rushed to their aid."

  17. Analysis

    Police moved quickly to declare a terrorism incident - and that’s unusualpublished at 16:46 BST

    Dominic Casciani
    Home and legal correspondent

    Counter-terrorism police officers have a tried-and-tested system for assessing whether a violent incident counts as terrorism.

    Put simply, they look at the initial evidence and work out whether the act of violence was carried out in an attempt to influence the government, or to intimidate the public, or a section of it, in order to advance a political, religious, racial or ideological cause. That is the legal definition of terrorism set out in our law.

    But in recent years the police have hesitated from making speedy calls - partly because of the outcome of the 2021 bomb blast outside the Liverpool Women’s Hospital. Police called it terrorism - but ultimately there was no evidence the man had extremist views - and plenty that he had been very mentally unwell.

    After that, counter terrorism chiefs indicated that sometimes they will need to take longer to make the call one way or another.

    The fact that they have called this terrorism so quickly today indicates very strongly that they believe they have evidence that points to an alleged “mindset”. That can often be something the suspect has said, the type of victim, or material found on their phone or computer.

  18. Home secretary says government will 'strain every sinew' to protect UK's Jewish communitypublished at 16:37 BST

    Home Secretary Shabana MahmoodImage source, Pool

    The home secretary says the government will "strain every sinew" to keep the Jewish community safe following this morning's attack.

    Shabana Mahmood says she will not “tolerate a situation where our Jewish citizens have to lead smaller lives” to keep themselves safe.

    Ministers have already been taking action on security and ensuring Jewish community sites are well protected, she says, adding that "an enhanced police presence" will continue.

    "We will go further," she tells reporters, including on action to tackle the "root causes" of antisemitism in society.

    On the police investigation, Mahmood says the initial circumstances of the attack suggest it is correct to designate it as a terrorist incident.

  19. What we've learned from police about the Golders Green attackpublished at 16:28 BST

    In the last hour, we've had updates from both the Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley. Here's what we've learned:

  20. 'We need to hear from moderate majority who want to root out hate' - Golders Green MPpublished at 16:15 BST

    Labour MP Sarah SackmanImage source, Reuters

    After Rowley, Labour MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Sarah Sackman, says what happened on the streets of Golders Green today is "appalling".

    "An attack on Britain's Jews is an attack on Britain itself," she says.

    She adds that she has just been with the home secretary, and the Prime Minister has called a Cobra meeting.

    "We need to hear from the moderate majority who want to root this sort of hate out of our communities," she says.