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Knife attack in Golders Green
A knife attack in Golders Green, in northwest London, left two Jewish men injured on Wednesday, April 29, after a suspect was arrested following a confrontation on Golders Green Road.
“At 11:16hrs on Wednesday 29 April, officers responded following reports of people stabbed in Highfield Avenue”
The Metropolitan Police said officers responded after reports of people stabbed in Highfield Avenue, and that the suspect was Tasered before being arrested, with two men—aged 76 and 34—treated at the scene and taken to hospital.
The Independent reported that Essa Suleiman, 45, appeared in court charged with attempted murder after an alleged knife rampage in Golders Green, and it described him as having arrived at the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court with “visible facial bruising.”
The Independent also said the prosecution alleged Suleiman tried to stab Ishmail Hussein at his home in Southwark at around 7.50am on Wednesday before travelling by public transport to Brent Cross underground and then attacking two Jewish men in Golders Green.
CBS News framed the incident as a trigger for heightened concern, saying the “Jewish community in U.K. [was] on high alert after Golders Green knife attack.”
The attack was formally declared a terrorist incident, with the Metropolitan Police stating that Counter Terrorism Policing London continues to lead the investigation, which remains ongoing.
Charges, dates, and the alleged route
Police and prosecutors tied the Golders Green attack to a suspect, Essa Suleiman, and laid out a timeline that included a separate incident in south London on the same date.
The Metropolitan Police said Suleiman (02.02.1981) of Camberwell was charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place in relation to an attack in Golders Green on Wednesday 29 April, and it added that he was also charged with attempted murder in relation to a separate incident on the same date in Great Dover Street.
The Independent similarly said Suleiman appeared in court on Friday and was remanded in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, with the chief magistrate Paul Goldspring telling him: “You will be remanded in custody until 15 May when you will appear before the Central Criminal Court.”
The Guardian described the case as involving “attempted murders of three people during two knife attacks in London,” saying Suleiman attacked Ishmail Hussein at his home in Southwark before travelling to Golders Green arriving shortly after 11am.
In the court account, prosecutor Emma Harraway said Suleiman first set upon Shloime Rand, 34, before attacking 76-year-old Norman Shine, and the Guardian added that a member of the public tried to disarm Suleiman.
The Metropolitan Police said the suspect was arrested after officers used a stun gun, and it stated that the 34-year-old had since been released from hospital while the 76-year-old remained there in a stable condition.
Reactions from officials and community
The attack drew immediate condemnation from senior political figures and was also met with statements from police leadership and community security groups.
“"Our thoughts remain with the victims involved, and specialist officers continue to provide them with support as their recovery continues."”
The Independent quoted Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, saying: “Our thoughts remain with the victims involved, and specialist officers continue to provide them with support as their recovery continues.”
It also quoted Flanagan urging restraint, adding: “We are determined to get justice for the victims, and now that a person has been charged, I would urge everyone to avoid any further speculation in relation to this case so that justice can run its course.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack in the Mix Vale account, which said he described it as a “wholly despicable act” and stressed that “the full force of the law will bear down on the perpetrators.”
The Sky News Arabic report said Starmer told reporters the stabbing incident in a Jewish area of London was “extremely worrying,” while the same report said London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned it as a “horrific attack” and praised the swift response of emergency services and volunteers.
Community groups played a central role in the immediate response, with Shomrim saying its members responded immediately and arrested the suspect, and the Jewish volunteer group’s statement on X said: “Shomrim responded immediately and were able to detain the suspect.”
Different accounts of the same incident
While all the reports describe a knife attack in Golders Green and an arrest after police used a Taser or stun gun, they diverge in emphasis and in how they characterize the suspect and the broader context.
The Independent focused on the court process and the alleged sequence of events, saying Suleiman was accused of attempting to murder his own friend before trying to kill two Jewish men, and it reported that he was remanded in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The Guardian similarly centered the charging decision, saying Suleiman was charged with the attempted murders of three people during two knife attacks in London, and it described the next hearing as set for 15 May.
The Metropolitan Police provided a more operational narrative, stating officers responded at 11:16hrs on Wednesday 29 April, that the suspect was Tasered before being arrested, and that Counter Terrorism Policing London continues to lead the investigation.
In contrast, CBS News framed the event primarily through community impact, saying the “Jewish community in U.K. [was] on high alert after Golders Green knife attack,” without detailing the court timeline.
RTL.fr added additional claims about the suspect’s background, saying the head of London police Mark Rowley said he has “a history of serious violence and psychological issues,” and it also reported that King Charles III was “deeply concerned” and “fully informed” according to a Buckingham Palace statement.
Ongoing investigation and wider security
The sources also connect the Golders Green attack to a wider security posture and to previous incidents in the same area, while laying out what comes next in the legal process.
“Since the attack on the Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green on 23 March, there have been 28 arrests linked to the various incidents”
The Metropolitan Police said that since the attack on the Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green on 23 March, there have been 28 arrests linked to various incidents and CTP investigations, including “a man arrested on April 29 in relation to a terrorist incident in Golders Green.”
It added that of those 28 who have been arrested, eight people have been charged with arson-related offences and one person has been convicted of arson, and it said CTP officers continue to work closely with Met Police colleagues in response this latest attack.
In the court timeline, the Independent said Suleiman was remanded in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and would appear at the Old Bailey on 15 May, while the Guardian said the next hearing is set for 15 May.
The Independent also reported that the country’s terror threat level had been increased to severe, meaning a terror attack is “highly likely,” and it said the decision was not solely a result of the Golders Green attack, with the Home Office saying the threat level in the UK has been “rising for some time.”
Community groups and local leaders tied the attack to a broader pattern of violence, with the Arabic-language reporting quoting Sadiq Khan saying “The Jewish community in London has been the target of a string of shocking anti-Semitic attacks,” and the BFM report saying the mayor described it as “an appalling attack.”
