Four ambulances from a Jewish volunteer group were set on fire in a quiet neighborhood in north London early on Monday. This has started a police investigation into possible links with extremists who get support from Iran. The incident in Golders Green has really upset the local Jewish community and many important people have spoken out against it.
The Fire In Golders Green Happened At Midnight
People in the area woke up to the sound of explosions around 1:40 in the morning on Highfield Road. The flames engulfed four vehicles that were parked outside the Machzike Hadath Synagogue. These vehicles were not any cars. They belonged to Hatzola Northwest, a group of volunteer medics who help people in emergencies in Londons Jewish areas. They often fill in the gaps when public servicesre not available.
The oxygen tanks inside the ambulances exploded like bombs breaking windows in apartments and forcing people to leave their homes. Firefighters from the London Fire Brigade worked hard to put out the fire with six engines and 40 crew members.. By the time the sun came up the vehicles were badly damaged. A man named Mark Reisner, who lives nearby went outside after hearing the explosions. He said it was a loud noise that you could feel in your chest. He described the scene as one of shock.
Security cameras caught three people in clothes sneaking up with a canister and pouring something on one of the ambulances before it caught fire. The police have not caught anyone yet. Authorities are working hard to find the people responsible. They are treating the incident as a hate crime due to antisemitism. However, investigators have not yet confirmed whether it qualifies as terrorism.
A Group Claims Responsibility For The Attack
A hours after the attack a video appeared on Telegram from a group called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia or the “Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right”. The video showed a map of the area where the attack happened and clips of the ambulances on fire. The group said they were responsible for the attack.
This group has been in trouble before. They have said they were behind the burning of synagogues in Belgium and the Netherlands recently. The government of Israel thinks they might be connected to groups that support Iran. The logo of the group is similar to symbols used by militias that are aligned with Tehran. The name of the group is similar to a group that the US has labeled as terrorists. The police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley talked about the claim at a dinner for the Community Security Trust. He said they are looking into the claim from the group that has a history of attacks in Europe and might have connections to Iran.
Rowley said it is too early to say for sure if Iran was involved. He pointed out that there has been a big increase in threats from Tehran in the UK. Last week two men were charged with spying on Jewish sites for Iran.
There Is A Lot Of Hate Against Jews In The UK
This attack happened at a time when there is a lot of antisemitism in Britain. The Community Security Trust has reported over 3,700 incidents in 2025, which’s more than double the number in 2022. The number of incidents increased a lot after the attack by Hamas on Israel and the Gaza war in October 2023. In October 2025 a driver crashed into a crowd of people outside a synagogue in Manchester. Stabbed one person to death. The police. Killed another person in the chaos.
The area of Golders Green, which has a lot of people living there feels like it is in the middle of all this hate. A local councilor, Peter Zinkin said that the way the media and the government talk about these issues has made antisemitism seem okay which has made people very angry and scared. The loss of the ambulances is especially hard for the community because the volunteers who use them save lives every day. Now they do not have the ambulances they need with Passover coming up.
The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer said the attack was horrific and met with leaders at Downing Street. The Security Minister promised to replace the ambulances by Tuesday morning. The government will pay for them. The Archbishop, Sarah Mullally and the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis also spoke out against the violence. Said they will work together to stop it.
Irans Influence Is A Part Of The Problem
Irans influence is a big part of the increase in antisemitism in Europe.Experts say that groups like Harakat operate in certain areas but take direction from distant leaders. They use the internet to radicalize people and gain support from the state. The police commissioner, Rowley is increasing security at schools, synagogues and centers especially with Passover coming up.
The Jewish community, which has 300,000 people feels very vulnerable. One resident said they are shocked and scared and they feel like hate has become a part of life. The police are asking for help to find the people who did this. The real solution is to stop tolerating bigotry before it leads to more violence.
As the investigators look into the attack it is clear that this is a serious problem. Ambulances that are meant to help people are now symbols of hate. The UK needs to do something to stop this before it happens again.
