The father of a Jewish man who was stabbed in an antisemitic attack in north London has stated that his son was "obviously targeted" due to his appearance. Two Jewish men, 34-year-old Shloime Rand and 76-year-old Moshe Ben Baila, also known locally as Moshe Shine, were hospitalised after being stabbed in a suspected terror attack in Golders Green on Wednesday.
A 45-year-old man, described by police as a Somali-born British national, was arrested following the incident. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the suspect was known to the government's counter-extremism programme Prevent, with a referral made in 2020 that was closed the same year.
The stabbings represent the latest in a series of attacks on the Jewish community in north-west London over recent weeks, sparking urgent calls for action and accusations that the government has not done enough to combat antisemitism.
Father's account
Shloime's father, who wished to be known only as Mr Rand, told The Independent on Wednesday that he wants the prime minister to do more to protect the Jewish community. He believes his son was targeted because he was "dressed the way he was dressed and because he is a Jew."
"It's obvious," he said, adding that the only people targeted in the attack were Jewish. "So obviously he knew who he was going for but didn't know who they are personally, so it's just... that's why he went for those," Mr Rand explained.
Shloime earlier told ITV News from his hospital bed that he had been studying at a local synagogue when a man began running toward him. "I didn't suspect anything, and he just stabbed me in the chest. I was taken to the hospital," he said. He added: "He looked angry, he looked angry. You could feel it in his facial expressions; it was like he was out to get me."
Government response
The government has announced an additional £25 million investment to enhance security for Jewish communities following the suspected terror attack. This funding is intended to bolster police patrols and protections around synagogues, schools, and community centres, bringing the total commitment this year to £58 million.
The prime minister was heckled as he arrived at a Jewish community ambulance centre in Golders Green on Thursday. When asked what the government could do to tackle antisemitism, Mr Rand expressed scepticism: "I think he [Sir Keir Starmer] can help, but I don't know if he will help because he already spoke quite a lot of times in the last few years and hasn't done anything. So I'm sure he can, yeah, obviously he can. The prime minister, I hope he can. If he will, well, until today, he hasn't shown anything. So it could be this one story will change the matter, it could be, we don't know."
Mr Rand described his son as a "good fellow" and a father of six. Regarding his son's condition, he said that he has improved and is now awaiting scans. "Hopefully we'll hear some good news," Mr Rand added.
