Counter-terrorism police are investigating whether a fire at a former synagogue in east London is part of an arson campaign linked to Iran. The fire broke out at the building on Nelson Street, Tower Hamlets, early on Tuesday morning, causing minor damage to gates and a lock.
CCTV captured the fire being started deliberately at 5.10am, according to the Metropolitan Police. At least two men wearing hoods were seen carrying out the attack. The synagogue, known as the East London Central Synagogue, opened in 1923 and closed in 2020 after its roof collapsed.
The building holds cultural significance for London's Jewish community, featuring Hebrew lettering and a Star of David at its entrance. A Muslim group, the Ashaadibi Education and Cultural Centre, had recently paid a deposit to acquire the site. The group condemned the arson, stating that any attack on a house of worship is an attack on all.
Last year, graffiti reading “free Palestine” and “kill the zionists” was daubed on the building’s exterior. Witnesses to Tuesday's attack said an attempt was made to break a window, similar to previous attacks on synagogues in Finchley and Harrow last month.
The Metropolitan Police has increased resources to protect the Jewish community, amid a series of arson attacks claimed by a group linked to Iran known as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI). Commander Helen Flanagan of counter-terrorism policing London said the incident follows a number of arsons targeting Jewish Londoners, and potential links will be considered.
