Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for a 'swift, agile and visible' response from the government and criminal justice system following a suspected terrorist attack in north-west London. Speaking after a meeting in Downing Street, Starmer said it was 'absolutely clear' that the victims were targeted for being Jewish, and described the attack as part of a series of assaults on the Jewish community.
The stabbing of two men in Golders Green on Wednesday is being treated as terrorism. The suspect, a 45-year-old British national born in Somalia, is in custody. Police said he has a history of serious violence and mental health issues. The victims, Shilome Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Starmer emphasised that 'an attack on our Jewish community is an attack on all of us' and called the fight against antisemitism 'our fight as well'. He acknowledged a 'deep sense of anxiety' among British Jews, saying the government must understand their 'visceral feeling'. The government has announced an additional £25 million to boost security patrols around synagogues, schools and community centres.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood promised to 'do everything in my power' to keep Jewish people safe, and said legislation to create proscription-like powers against state-sponsored groups would be fast-tracked. The draft laws are expected to be included in the King's Speech on 13 May. Mahmood also confirmed the suspect came to the UK lawfully as a child in the 1990s.
Members of the Jewish community have expressed fear and uncertainty. Rand told ITV that Jewish people are afraid to walk down the street, while Baruch Stern of Gross Butchers near the scene questioned whether the UK is still safe for Jewish people. Sue Siegel of the Jewish Council of Scotland said some are avoiding wearing religious symbols, comparing the climate to that before the Holocaust.
