Police are still hunting the arsonists who set ambulances ablaze in London’s Golders Green in an anti-Semitic hate attack. A leading member of the community talks of living under hate
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CCTV shows ambulances attack suspects and vehicles ablaze in London
A senior Jewish leader told the Mirror today how his community lived in fear “every day” and was not surprised at all by the Golders Green attack.
Raphi Bloom, a board member of the Jewish Representative Council, said while the Government had been excellent in providing funds for extra security they needed to tackle the root causes of anti-semitism.
And he said the torching of the four ambulances was yet another reminder of his serious the problem had become in the UK.
He said: “This is another violent and horrendous example of the tsunami of Jew-hatred that the Jewish community of Britain has been facing since October 7th 2023.”
Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation into the arson attack, which has not yet been declared as a terrorist incident, while officers examine the authenticity of a claim of responsibility made online. Police are looking for three hooded suspects and no arrests have yet been made.
Mr Bloom said: “Make no mistake, this was an attack on a Jewish communal organisation simply because it was Jewish – as a way of importing a conflict two and a half thousand miles away onto our streets.
“It just reinforces for so many Jews in this country that ‘are we really welcome here?’
“The government has been excellent in providing funding for security and fences.
“But unless it tackles the root causes of this vicious Jew hatred, then nothing will ever get better.
“We are not surprised, We have been expecting this, in the same way that we were tragically expecting the as the Eaton Park terrorist attack. (in Manchester which killed two people). The Jewish community had been screaming about it for two and a half years saying that this was going to happen.
“We live with it every day. We wake up every day. Our families wake up every day thinking: is it safe to send our children to our Jewish faith school, is it safe to go in to a Jewish shop?
“We know the government has said that in the last year it has foiled 20 Iranian-inspired terror plots in this country.
“We are proud British Jews but we feel that we are not wanted.
“There are great words. The Home Secretary has been fantastic in many instances in supporting the Jewish community.
“But unless we tackle the root causes of it – in many cases it is Islamist extremism, it is egregious Jew-hatred in sermons at some mosques up and down the country o a Friday, the incitement on our streets, then people will be emboldened to carry out further attacks like this, whether they are locally inspired or internationally co-ordinated. We just don’t feel we are getting the protection that we need.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said the Metropolitan Police will be “stepping up” support for Jewish communities across London following the attack.
He said: “We have already spoken to local community and faith leaders and will continue that work today. A specific policing plan focused on key community locations across the area is under way and will continue beyond the coming days as we move towards Passover in early April.
“This attack comes at a time when fears are already heightened given global events and recent attacks targeting Jewish communities in other parts of Europe. The Met Police stands shoulder to shoulder with our partners and communities. Together we take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime.
“We are stepping up our support to Jewish communities across London to engage, offer reassurance and take practical action to protect people and property.”
