British counterterrorism police are investigating an arson attack in north London after four ambulances belonging to Jewish volunteer emergency service Hatzola were set ablaze near a synagogue in Golders Green early on Monday, in what authorities are treating as an antisemitic hate crime.
Police said officers were called to Highfield Road at about 1:45 a.m. after reports of a fire. CCTV footage appears to show three hooded suspects pouring accelerant onto the vehicles before igniting them and fleeing the scene, according to Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams.
The ambulances were parked near the Machzike Hadath synagogue in Golders Green, a north London area with a large Jewish population. Multiple oxygen cylinders inside the vehicles exploded in the heat of the blaze, shattering nearby windows and forcing the temporary evacuation of residents from surrounding homes. No injuries were reported.
The Metropolitan Police said the case has not yet been formally classified as a terrorist incident, but counterterrorism officers are leading the investigation because of the specialist expertise required and the potential motive behind the attack. No arrests had been announced as of Monday.
An online claim of responsibility has added to the seriousness of the case. Reuters, citing SITE Intelligence, reported that an Iran-aligned militant collective calling itself the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand claimed responsibility. Other reports identified the group as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia. Police said they are aware of the online claim but have not verified its authenticity.
That means the verified position right now is narrower than some of the online rhetoric: the attack itself is real, the antisemitic hate-crime designation is official, the counterterror probe is real, and an alleged Islamist claim exists online — but direct responsibility has not yet been publicly confirmed by police.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as a “deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack,” while London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned it and said police patrols would be increased in the area. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis called it a “sickening assault” not only on the Jewish community but on shared social values.
The attack has deepened concern inside Britain’s Jewish community, which has reported a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents since the October 2023 Hamas attack and the Gaza war. The Community Security Trust recorded about 3,700 antisemitic incidents in Britain in 2025, up from 1,662 in 2022, according to AP.
