Jonathan Hall KC, the UK government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has described the recent surge in attacks on Jewish people as "the biggest national security emergency" in nearly a decade. In an interview with the BBC, he stated that British Jews are "now thinking they cannot live a normal life" due to a string of incidents targeting their communities.
The most recent attack occurred on Wednesday in Golders Green, north London, where two Jewish men were stabbed. Police have declared it a terrorist incident. The victims have been identified locally as Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76. A 45-year-old British national, who arrived in the UK from Somalia as a child, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood disagreed with Hall's characterization of a national emergency, but acknowledged that the rise in antisemitic attacks is an "absolute priority" for the government. She told BBC Breakfast that the term "national emergency" carries specific implications, such as suspending democratic elements, and she does not believe that threshold has been reached.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, after a meeting of criminal justice agencies on Thursday, emphasized that the attack was "not a one-off" but part of a series of assaults on the Jewish community. He called for a "swift and visible" response and urged all Britons to join the fight against antisemitism, stating it is "about what sort of a country do we want to live in."
The government has announced an additional £25 million in funding for increased police patrols and security in Jewish communities, including protections around synagogues, schools, and community centres.
Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis condemned the attack, saying it "proves that if you are visibly Jewish, you're not safe and far more needs to be done." He called for "meaningful action" to address the root causes of antisemitism.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council issued a joint statement expressing disgust at the attack, adding that security measures are essential but "not the answer." They declared, "British Jews will not be intimidated. But we should not face this threat alone."
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called it "shameful" that attacks on Jewish communities occur so frequently and agreed with Hall that it amounts to a national emergency. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also described the situation as an emergency and urged the government to show "real action."
Labour MP Sarah Sackman, who represents Finchley and Golders Green, shared her personal experience: "When I take my children to synagogue, I find myself holding and gripping their hand a little bit tighter. I know I'm not alone in that."
Wednesday's stabbing follows a series of recent incidents targeting Jewish communities in the UK:
- 2 October 2025: Two Jewish people were killed and three seriously injured in a car ramming and stabbing attack outside a synagogue in Manchester.
- 23 March 2026: Four Jewish charity-owned ambulances were set on fire in a synagogue car park in Golders Green.
- 15 April: A brick and two bottles containing a suspected accelerant were thrown at Finchley Reform Synagogue in north London.
- 17 April: Suspicious items, later found harmless, were discovered near the Israeli embassy in London.
- 18 April: A bottle containing an accelerant was thrown through the window of Kenton United Synagogue in north-west London.
- 27 April: A suspected arson attack occurred at a memorial wall in Golders Green, which contained tributes to victims of the Iranian regime and those killed in the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
The Israeli Prime Minister's office called on the British government to act more decisively, referencing "weakness" in the face of repeated antisemitic attacks.