london —
Two Jewish people were stabbed in north London on Wednesday, a witness told CNN. The incident came against the backdrop of a series of anti-Semitic attacks in the British capital.
According to a statement from the Metropolitan Police Department, a 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after he also allegedly tried to stab a police officer.
Two men, one in his 70s and the other in his 30s, were injured in the attack in Golders Green and are in a stable condition in hospital, police added. No police officers were injured.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the “anti-Semitic attack” was absolutely “horrifying” and thanked local charity Shomrim, Jewish emergency service Hatzolah and police for their quick response.
Local monitoring and emergency response agency Shomrim said that during the attack, a man was “seen running along Golders Green Road with a knife and attempting to stab a member of the Jewish public.” Shomrim added that police responded quickly and deployed Tasers upon their arrival.
Police said counter-terrorism experts are leading the investigation and are working to determine the suspect’s nationality, background and ties to terrorists.
By the time CNN arrived at the scene, police had cordoned off a wide swath of the road and several emergency vehicles were called out, including an ambulance and a police helicopter.
Police cordoned off after two stabbings in north London, Jewish Neighborhood Watch group says
A video circulating on social media also showed a man being detained by multiple police officers and two men in plain clothes.
London’s Jewish community has faced a wave of anti-Semitic attacks in recent weeks. Last month, arsonists set fire to four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in Golders Green, north London. Four people were later charged by police.
Then, a few weeks later, the site of a synagogue and Jewish charity in north London was attacked.
Mr Starmer added in Parliament on Wednesday: “We all need to be clear in our determination to tackle… this criminal behavior, which we have seen all too often recently.”
Another prominent Jewish group, the British Jewish Parliamentary Committee, said it was working with police “to understand what happened and to ensure a strong response.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
