A suspected terrorist who stabbed two Jewish men in north London has a history of serious violence and mental health problems, Britain's most senior police officer has said.
Attack in Golders Green
Sir Mark Rowley told journalists in Golders Green that two police officers who Tasered and arrested the 45-year-old knifeman believed he had a bomb when they confronted him on Wednesday. The double stabbing occurred at around 11.15am on Highfield Avenue, Golders Green, and has been declared a terrorist attack. Two men, aged 76 and 34, are in a stable condition in hospital.
Police Response
Speaking outside Scotland Yard, head of counter terrorism policing Laurence Taylor said: "This has now formally been declared a terrorist incident. Our highly specialised teams of officers are working with the Metropolitan Police to progress this investigation quickly and establish exactly what has happened." He added that one line of inquiry is whether the attack deliberately targeted the Jewish community in London.
Sir Mark praised the officers who confronted the suspect, saying: "They confronted a man they believed to be a terrorist, who refused to show his hands, who was violent and continued to pose a clear threat. These were not armed officers, and they feared that he was carrying an explosive device. Using only their training, their courage and their tasers, they managed to detain him whilst he continued to try and attack and stab them."
Community Reaction
Jewish leaders called for tougher action on antisemitic violence. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said: "Following the antisemitic stabbing of two Jewish people on the streets of Golders Green this morning, words of condemnation are no longer sufficient. This must be a moment that demands meaningful action from every institution, every community, every leader and every decent person in our country."
A protest is being organised by the Campaign Against Antisemitism on Thursday evening outside Downing Street. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said they "demand and expect action" to protect British Jews.
Witness Accounts
A pizza shop worker on Golders Green Road said he helped the elderly stab victim after seeing him bleeding from his neck. Tariq Aziz, who works at Slice pizza takeaway, said: "He came to our shop and then I gave him a tissue and helped him, and then police came suddenly and arrested the guy." He noted the suspect "wasn't running away" after the attack.
Ben Grossnass, a volunteer in community security group Shomrim, told the Press Association: "We got a phone call to the hotline at 11.20am this morning, we were on the scene within a minute-and-a-half of the phone call. I saw a lot of shock in the street and the attacker was having CPR, I think he went into cardiac arrest after being tasered."
Political Response
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood pledged that the Government would "strain every sinew" to keep Jewish people safe, and a Cobra meeting has been called following the stabbing. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told MPs: "It is deeply concerning to everyone in this House. There is now a police investigation and I think we all need to do everything we can to support that investigation." Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said the attack was horrific, adding: "No one should live in fear because of who they are."
Police said they are working to establish the "nationality and background" of the attacker. The scene is around half a mile from a memorial wall where an attempted arson attack took place on Monday, and near to where four Jewish community ambulances were destroyed by fire in late March. These are among a number of alleged attacks on Jewish sites in London in recent weeks.
