A 41-year-old Iranian man is fighting for his life after a car struck him in Golders Green, north-west London, on Wednesday evening. The incident occurred on Golders Green Road at approximately 8:24 pm, prompting an immediate response from emergency services and bystanders.
Incident Details
Video footage from the scene shows shocked onlookers rushing to assist the victim, who lay seriously injured on the road. The location is close to the Iranian memorial wall, which was the target of a suspected arson attack in April, and just metres from where a major fire broke out at a Kosher supermarket earlier that day.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a 39-year-old Iraqi national has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and failing to provide a drugs sample. He remains in custody as enquiries continue. The force stated that the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
Emergency Response
Volunteers from the Jewish community security group Shomrim and the community ambulance service Hatzola attended alongside the Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service. The victim was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, responsible for policing in north-west London, acknowledged the incident would cause significant concern in the local community. He assured residents of a continued police presence throughout the night and urged anyone with information to come forward.
Context of Recent Events
The incident occurred hours after more than 100 firefighters tackled a blaze at Kosher Kingdom supermarket, less than a minute's walk away. No casualties were reported, and the fire is not being treated as suspicious.
The area has seen heightened tension following a series of recent arson attacks and a terror attack in which two Jewish men were stabbed. Counter Terrorism Policing continues to investigate an arson attack on the Iranian memorial wall on 27 April, for which a 46-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman have been arrested and bailed.
The memorial wall, used by protesters against the Iranian regime, displays photos of those killed during the Iranian government crackdown in January. A section also commemorates victims of the 2023 Hamas attack on the Nova music festival in Israel and expresses solidarity with the Jewish community.
