A victim of the suspected terror attack in Golders Green says he holds the British government responsible for failing to curb rising antisemitism, as police continue investigating the stabbing attack as terrorism.
Shilome Rand, 34, spoke from his hospital bed after he and another Jewish man, 76-year-old Moshe Shine, were stabbed outside a synagogue in north London on Wednesday. Rand described his survival as “a miracle" and accused authorities of failing to protect the Jewish community amid a recent surge in antisemitic incidents across the UK.
The Metropolitan Police arrested a 45-year-old suspect at the scene after officers and memmembersbers of the local Jewish volunteer security group intervened to stop the attack. Authorities later confirmed that counterterrorism officers are leading the investigation and treating the stabbings as a terrorist incident.
Witness footage showed chaotic scenes as the attacker allegedly targeted visibly Jewish pedestrians in Golders Green, an area with a large Orthodox Jewish population. Police said the suspect also attempted to attack officers before being subdued with a Taser.
The attack comes after several recent antisemitic incidents in London, including arson attacks targeting Jewish institutions and volunteer ambulance services in Golders Green. Community leaders say tensions and fears within Britain’s Jewish population have sharply intensified in recent months.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack as “utterly appalling" and pledged increased security measures, while Jewish organizations called for stronger government action beyond public statements.
The UK Campaign Against Antisemitism has announced:
We are demonstrating outside Downing Street on Thursday evening to ask the Prime Minister a simple question: What’s the plan?
We must take this to the Prime Minister’s door. He’s had plenty of time. What is he actually going to do?
