Four Hatzola Ambulances Torched in Golders Green
Arson damaged four Hatzola Northwest ambulances in Golders Green; counter‑terror police and MI5 are probing an online claim by a group linked to Iran while treating it as antisemitic.
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Overview
Four Hatzola Northwest ambulances were set on fire in Golders Green early Monday, causing oxygen cylinders to explode and damaging nearby homes, with no injuries reported, police and the London Fire Brigade said.
Security camera footage appears to show three hooded figures pouring an accelerant on the vehicles and igniting them near the Machzike Hadath synagogue, prompting evacuations and temporarily displacing 34 residents, authorities said.
The Metropolitan Police said counter-terrorism policing is leading the investigation and MI5 is working with officers to authenticate an online claim by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, and the incident is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime.
The Community Security Trust recorded 3,700 antisemitic incidents in 2025, up from 1,662 in 2022, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack and said the government will fund replacement ambulances.
Police said they are seeking three suspects seen on CCTV, no arrests have been made, and investigators said establishing the authenticity of the group's claim is a priority while all lines of inquiry remain open.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the incident as a clear antisemitic attack and part of a growing global trend, using authoritative voices and alarming statistics to emphasize urgency. Editorial choices—headline assertion, early placement of leaders' condemnations, curated security-footage details, and selective trend data—shape a narrative of widespread, escalating antisemitism.
FAQ
Hatzola Northwest is a registered Jewish charity headquartered in Golders Green that provides 24/7 volunteer-run emergency medical response services to both Jewish and non-Jewish communities within a 2.5-mile radius of its headquarters.[3] The organization operates with 61 fully qualified medics and paramedic volunteers providing free emergency services. It was targeted in this attack because it is a Jewish community organization, and the incident is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime.[1]
An Iran-aligned militant network calling itself the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand (Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia) has claimed responsibility for the attack.[4] However, police are working to establish the authenticity of this claim, and counter-terrorism policing and MI5 are leading the investigation.[2] The group is suspected to have links to pro-Iran networks and has been linked to similar fires in Belgium, Greece, and the Netherlands.[4]
Four Hatzola ambulances were completely destroyed by fire, and oxygen cylinders onboard exploded, shattering windows in an adjacent apartment block and damaging nearby residential buildings.[1][3] Around 40 firefighters responded with six fire engines to contain the blaze. Dozens of residents, including 34 people, were evacuated as a precaution, though no injuries were reported.[4]
Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that the government will fund the replacement of all four Jewish ambulances, and additional staff from the London Ambulance Service will support Hatzola in the meantime.[3] Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack as "a deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack" and pledged support for the Jewish community.[4] London Mayor Sadiq Khan said police patrols would be increased in the area.[4]
The Community Security Trust recorded 3,700 antisemitic incidents in 2025, more than double the 1,662 incidents recorded in 2022, indicating a significant increase in antisemitic activity.[2] Some community members have criticized the government for failing to prevent pro-Palestinian demonstrations from tipping into anti-Jewish speech and acts, with local Conservative politician Peter Zinkin stating that the government and certain media outlets have "validated antisemitism on a countrywide scale."[2]
