Britain’s chief rabbi has warned that people who appear visibly Jewish are no longer safe in the country, after two men were stabbed in a north London neighbourhood that has seen several recent antisemitic incidents.
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Ephraim Mirvis said the attack had intensified fears among Britain’s Jewish community. Speaking to the BBC, he said the incident demonstrated that those who can be identified as Jewish in public are increasingly at risk.
“I’m sad to say that today’s event proves that if you are visibly Jewish, you’re not safe, and far more needs to be done,” he said.
He added that many people had been asking themselves where the next attack might occur.
Stabbings in north London
Police said the attack happened on Wednesday morning in the London neighbourhood of Golders Green, an area with a large Jewish population. Officers are treating the stabbings as a terrorist incident.
One of the victims was attacked at a bus stop while putting on a kippah, a traditional Jewish skullcap. The second was stabbed while walking along the street.
Both men were taken to hospital and are reported to be in stable condition. Police arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder.
Authorities later confirmed the suspect had previously been referred to the government’s Prevent programme, which is designed to identify people at risk of becoming involved in extremism.
Threat level raised
Following the attack, the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre raised Britain’s terrorism threat level to “severe” from “substantial”. The level, the second-highest on the UK scale, means an attack is considered highly likely within the next six months.
The centre operates within MI5.
Head of counter-terrorism policing Laurence Taylor said Britain had been facing a growing terrorist threat for some time.
He said both Islamist and extreme right-wing extremism were contributing to the risk and warned that Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions in the UK were facing an elevated threat.
Series of antisemitic incidents
The stabbings follow a series of antisemitic incidents in London’s Jewish community in recent weeks.
Last month, arsonists set fire to four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in Golders Green. A synagogue in the area was also attacked two weeks earlier.
The rise in incidents has prompted warnings from senior officials. Government terrorism adviser Jonathan Hall described the situation as the most serious national security concern the country has faced since a wave of attacks in 2017, including the bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester that killed 35 people.
He told the BBC that many Jewish residents, particularly in London, now fear they cannot live normally because of repeated attacks.
Government response
The UK government said it was treating the recent incidents with urgency. Interior minister Shabana Mahmood described the attacks as an emergency, though she stopped short of calling the situation a national emergency.
Police are also investigating claims of responsibility made by a group said to be backed by Iran, though officials said it was not yet clear whether those claims were credible.
The government announced an additional £25 million in funding to strengthen security for Jewish communities, including synagogues, schools and community centres. The funding comes on top of £33 million already pledged earlier this year.
Prime minister Keir Starmer said the attacks had left many Jewish people afraid to openly practise their religion or reveal their identity at work, school or university.
He said policing would be increased in affected areas and pledged faster legal action in antisemitism cases. Starmer also warned that Britain must strengthen its ability to counter hostile actions from states such as Iran.
Despite the measures, anger remains within parts of London’s Jewish community. Protesters gathered during Starmer’s visit to the area, calling for stronger protection.
Some commentators have argued the government should consider measures similar to those taken in France after the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack, when thousands of soldiers were deployed to guard Jewish sites.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 2 May 2026
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