London Police Declare Terrorist Stabbing of Two Jewish Men in Golders Green

London police declared a stabbing of two Jewish men a terrorist incident after a 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in the Golders Green area of north London.

The Metropolitan Police said the attack left two men, ages 34 and 76, hospitalized with knife wounds, and that counterterrorism officers were investigating whether the stabbings were linked to recent arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish sites in the British capital.

ABC News

BBC News reported that officers responded at 11:16 BST on Wednesday after receiving reports that people had been stabbed in Highfield Avenue, which runs off Golders Green Road.

NBC News said the Metropolitan Police called it a “terrorist incident” and that the suspect was taken to a London police station where he remained in police custody after being discharged from hospital.

The BBC also reported that the suspect was Tasered by police before being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and that the suspect attempted to stab attending officers but none were injured.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said the suspect refused to show his hands, was violent, and continued to pose a clear threat, while officers later carried out a search at an address in south-east London.

The incident was treated as part of a wider pattern of antisemitic attacks in the area, with the BBC noting police were called at 08:50 BST on Tuesday to an address on Great Dover Street in Southwark after the suspect was reportedly involved in an altercation with the property's occupant.

Multiple outlets described the arrest and the immediate police response in detail, including the use of a stun gun and the suspect’s behavior during detention.

The BBC said a 45-year-old man, a British national born in Somalia, was Tasered by police before being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and that the suspect is now in custody.

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NBC News reported that the suspect was stunned and tackled by officers who feared he was carrying an explosive device after he refused to show his hands, and it described a video police released showing officers using a stun gun before they pull a knife out of one hand.

The BBC added that officers can be heard shouting repeatedly for the suspect to “get down on the ground” before he is Tasered, and then “drop the knife,” while the force said the suspect continued to try to attack and stab the officers as they were detaining him.

NBC News identified the victims as Nachman Moshe ben Chaya Sarah and Moshe Ben Baila, and said both were treated at the scene and were stable.

The Jerusalem Post also named the victims as Nachman Moshe ben Chaya Sarah, 76, and Moshe ben Baila, 34, and said they were treated by Hatzalah at the scene and are in stable condition at the hospital.

LBC described the suspect as a 45-year-old British national from Somalia and said investigators were looking into an incident reported earlier in the day in Great Dover Street, SE1, believing it was linked to the north London attack.

British political and community leaders condemned the stabbing and framed it as an attack on the Jewish community and on Britain itself.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament that the attack was “deeply concerning,” and NBC News quoted him saying, “Attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain.”

BBC News reported that Starmer described the incident as an “antisemitic attack” and said it was “utterly appalling,” while ABC7 Los Angeles reported that Starmer held a meeting of the government’s emergency committee and vowed to “deal with the roots of antisemitism and extremism.”

Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley called it “another horrendous act of violence directed against our Jewish communities,” and NBC News quoted Rowley saying the suspect “has a history of serious violence and mental health issues.”

The BBC also reported Rowley paid tribute to officers’ courage, saying, “These were not armed officers and they feared he was carrying an explosive device.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said there must be “absolutely no place for antisemitism in society,” and the Jerusalem Post quoted Khan praising the heroism and actions of Shomrim and Hatzalah volunteers.

Britain’s chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, told the public that “Words of condemnation are no longer sufficient,” and NBC News quoted him saying, “This must be a moment that demands meaningful action from every institution, every community, every leader and every decent person in our country.”

The Church Times reported that Dr Anderson Jeremiah, the Area Bishop of Edmonton in the diocese of London, said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” and described the attack as “devastating.”

Alongside condemnation, outlets reported competing claims about who carried out the attack and how it might connect to earlier incidents.

The Jerusalem Post said Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) claimed responsibility for the stabbing in a video released on Islamic Regime-affiliated channels, and it quoted the statement: “Zionists were targeted by our lone wolves in the Golders Green Area of London.”

Al Jazeera

The Jerusalem Post also included HAYI’s further language calling on “free people in the world, especially Muslims,” and it quoted the group’s call: “Furthermore, anyone who is able to kill Zionists should not hesitate.”

CBS News and NBC News reported that counterterrorism officers were investigating possible connections with recent antisemitic attacks and arson attacks on Jewish sites, with CBS News saying the investigation was led by counterterrorism officers and that one line of inquiry was whether the attack was deliberately targeting the Jewish community in London.

ABC7 Los Angeles reported that detectives were investigating a potential Iranian link to recent arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish sites in the British capital, while also saying it was too soon to say whether Wednesday’s stabbing was connected.

The BBC reported that counterterrorism officers were investigating whether the stabbings were linked to recent arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish sites in the British capital, and it described the suspect’s history of serious violence and mental health issues.

NBC News said Rowley noted a rise in antisemitic incidents and that “some individuals are being encouraged, persuaded or paid to commit acts of violence on behalf of foreign organizations and hostile states,” while also quoting Rowley’s question: “Why don't we see more condemnation of the attacks we've seen in recent weeks?”

The BBC also reported that the Met later said officers were carrying out a search at an address in south-east London and that detectives believe the same suspect was involved in an earlier incident in the area.

Coverage diverged on how the attack was framed, what additional incidents were linked, and how the public reacted to police leadership.

ABC7 Los Angeles said Rowley faced shouts of “shame on you” and “resign” from bystanders when he made a statement to media at the scene of the stabbings, and it quoted resident Anthony Silber saying, “Today is somewhat worse because it's a physical attack against two human beings.”

Al-Ain Al-Ikhbariyah

BBC News similarly described heckling of Rowley by bystanders, who shouted “shame on you” and “you've failed,” and it said the local MP, Sarah Sackman, was also heckled.

NBC News reported that Rowley was stunned and tackled by officers who feared he was carrying an explosive device after he refused to show his hands, and it described the suspect’s video footage and the police response.

CBS News reported that Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor confirmed during a news conference that the attack “has now formally been declared a terrorist incident,” and it quoted Taylor saying they were working with security services to establish a full intelligence picture.

LBC emphasized the suspect’s earlier altercation in south-east London and quoted the Met spokesperson about the 08:50hrs incident in Great Dover Street, SE1, while also stating that detectives linked it to the north London attack.

The BBC, by contrast, provided a timeline anchored to Highfield Avenue and said the Met responded at 11:16 BST, and it described the suspect’s body-worn camera footage with officers shouting “get down on the ground” and “drop the knife.”

The Jerusalem Post added another detail by saying the incident occurred near the Netzach Yisroel Synagogue and that no officers were wounded, while also reporting that the suspect suffered cardiac arrest according to a volunteer.