London emergency services called to reports of a fire early Monday found four vehicles belonging to a Jewish community ambulance service damaged, after several explosions that caused panic.
The incident, in Golders Green — a London neighbourhood with a large Jewish population — occurred at about 1:45 a.m. local time and comes amid a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in the UK since the Gaza War began in late 2023.
The London Fire Brigade said cylinders on the ambulances exploded, shattering windows in a nearby residential building; no injuries were reported. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the case is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime.
Superintendent Sarah Jackson said the incident would cause “a great deal of community concern” as officers pursue urgent inquiries and increase patrols. “We are in the process of examining CCTV and are aware of online footage. We believe we are looking for three suspects at this early stage,” she added. “There have been no arrests yet, and we would urge anyone with information to please contact us as soon as possible – you can do so anonymously if you wish. We will be engaging with faith leaders and carrying out additional patrols in the local area as we continue our investigation to provide reassurance and a highly visible presence.”
Nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution and road closures remained in place while investigations continue. Shomrim, which runs a neighbourhood watch in Golders Green, said the explosions “were caused by oxygen tanks, not a bomb or explosive device.”
The ambulances are run by Hatzola, a volunteer organisation providing free emergency medical care in areas with large Jewish communities. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the torching of the vehicles a “deeply shocking antisemitic attack,” and said his thoughts were with the Jewish community waking to the news, adding that “antisemitism has no place in our society.”
Antisemitic incidents reported across the UK have surged since late 2023, the Community Security Trust said. The group recorded 3,700 incidents in 2025, up from 1,662 in 2022. Last October, an attacker drove a car into people outside a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur and then stabbed someone to death; another person who was accidentally shot by police died during that attack.
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher