Friends of a 76-year-old man who was attacked in Golders Green, North London, have spoken out for the first time. The horror unfolded yesterday morning in the Jewish community, just yards from where four ambulances were torched by arsonists last month. Police are questioning a suspect whom the Met Commissioner said has "violence and mental health issues," and the attack is being investigated by counter-terrorism officers.
Two men, aged 76 and 34—named locally as Moshe Shine and Shloime Rand—suffered serious stab wounds and were recovering in hospital last night. The suspect also attempted to stab police officers and was Tasered before being arrested.
Friends of Moshe Shine Speak Out
Friends of Moshe Shine have described him as someone who "would not harm a fly" and have expressed that they are "not really feeling safe in the country at the moment." One alleged victim, Moshe Shine, was attacked while "waiting to go home by bus at the bus stop," a member of the Jewish community said. According to a friend who wishes to remain anonymous, he is "very softly spoken. Very generous. He's a very nice, smiley guy. Really the nicest guy. He never lost his temper or raised his voice."
The friend added: "I have spoken to his nephew and he was the one who told me that he is in a serious condition. One of his wounds is very serious, I think it was in the neck." They continued: "We are not really feeling safe in the country at the moment. It's purely antisemitic, I know it's the first time they've actually classified it as a terrorist attack but we think all the attacks are terrorist attacks. We're only being attacked because we are Jewish, simple as that. Forget this issue about Israel, it's got nothing to do with Israel. It's the fact that we are Jewish. It's just basic antisemitism."
Norman, a friend of Moshe, said he worships at the Hendon Adath Synagogue and was "devastated" to hear his friend had been attacked. He said: "We are all shocked because he is the nicest guy who would not harm a fly. Moshe was always at synagogue learning and being a good man. I hope he recovers quickly."
Shloime Rand Breaks Silence from Hospital Bed
Rand, 34, who is being treated in hospital for wounds, told ITV News: "People are really concerned, people are afraid, people are uncomfortable walking in the street, people are blaming obviously the government for not doing anything about what's going on. It's for the past few months really that our community is suffering from these type of attacks. And now it's going on and trying to take people's lives and it's really terrible. The government, they are the ones that are able to take care of the problems. And they are not doing their job." He added: "Thanks to God that I am recovering, and the wound isn't so bad as they initially thought. I am here and I can talk, and it's really a miracle that has happened to me today."
Prime Minister Responds
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "The antisemitic attack in Golders Green is utterly appalling. Attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain." He chaired a meeting of the government's Cobra crisis committee after the attack and promised action: "I'm holding a meeting tomorrow with the criminal justice agencies to make sure that we have effective and swift justice in these cases. But we do have to recognise the levels of anxiety and concern there are, that I know about in terms of the Jewish community feeling very much exposed and vulnerable, feeling they've got to hide their identity, sometimes in the health service, sometimes at school, on the streets where they live."
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