Summary

  1. What we've learned from police about the Golders Green attackpublished at 16:28 BST

    In the last hour, we've had updates from both the Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley. Here's what we've learned:

  2. 'We need to hear from moderate majority who want to root out hate' - Golders Green MPpublished at 16:15 BST

    Labour MP Sarah SackmanImage source, Reuters

    After Rowley, Labour MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Sarah Sackman, says what happened on the streets of Golders Green today is "appalling".

    "An attack on Britain's Jews is an attack on Britain itself," she says.

    She adds that she has just been with the home secretary, and the Prime Minister has called a Cobra meeting.

    "We need to hear from the moderate majority who want to root this sort of hate out of our communities," she says.

  3. Rowley says it's 'completely understandable' why Jewish Londoners feel afraidpublished at 16:12 BST

    Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley speaks to media.Image source, PA Media

    Rowley is asked whether visibly Jewish people are safe on the streets of London.

    He responds by saying today's attack was "awful" and it is "completely understandable" why Jewish Londoners feel afraid. He says that is why "so much extra policing" is being put out and the force will look at what more it can do.

    He is asked what he says to chants of "shame on you" which could be heard during his response.

    He says he has received "so many thanks from Jewish communities" in recent weeks over the extra policing that is done, and people recognise officers going above and beyond, such as those who responded today.

  4. Some encouraged to commit hate crimes by foreign organisations or hostile states - Rowleypublished at 16:10 BST

    Referring to a rise in "racist and antisemitic hate crime", Rowley says police are aware that some people are encouraged or paid to commit acts of violence by foreign organisations and hostile states. Though he says he can't comment on any live investigations.

    He warns if someone is acting out of hatred, racism or anti-semitism "we will come after you".

    He further points to increased police activity in recent weeks - including additional shifts to "protect Londoners".

  5. Commissioner heckled as he addresses media over attackpublished at 16:07 BST

    Rajini Vaidyanathan
    Reporting from Golders Green

    We can hear heckling from the crowd as Rowley takes questions.

    "Shame on you" people chant, while others are calling on him to resign.

    It's hard to even hear the commissioner as people shout over him.

  6. 'Why don't we see more condemnation of recent attacks?' Rowley askspublished at 16:05 BST

    Rowley goes on by saying that antisemitism is "fuelled by hateful and extremist ideologies".

    "It comes from hostile states, the extreme right, and the extreme left. These are terrorist and hateful belief systems but they're all rooted in racism," he says.

    The commissioner says it's time to ask some difficult questions.

    "Why don't we see more condemnation of the attacks we've seen in recent weeks? Where are all the voices against hate? And where is the solidarity with fellow Londoners who are being targeted simply for who they are?"

    He adds that debate about international affairs should never be allowed to "legitimise antisemitism or violence against British Jews here on the streets of London", and "when that line is blurred, attacks become more likely".

  7. 'Attack on one community an attack on all London,' commissioner sayspublished at 16:04 BST

    "This is an attack on one community and an attack on one community is an attack on all london's communities," Rowley continues.

    "This was an attack on Londoners. It was an attack on British Jews.

    "Too many Jewish people in this country feel they have to make choices that no other Briton ever has to make.

    "They have to chose what they dress, where they go or how visibly they live their lives. That is completely unacceptable and has gone on for far too long."

    Mark Rowley and Sarah Sackman speaking to the media in Golders GreenImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Mark Rowley and Sarah Sackman speaking to the media in Golders Green

  8. Unarmed officers feared man was carrying explosive device - Rowleypublished at 16:01 BST

    The commissioner, speaking next to local MP Sarah Sackman, calls the incident "another horrendous act of violence directed against our Jewish communities".

    He adds it will rightly "shock and anger" people in London.

    Rowley continues by saying his first thoughts are with the two British Jews attacked while going about their daily lives, which they should be able to do "freely and safely".

    He also pays tribute to the police officers whose actions "undoubtedly" prevented further injury and saved lives.

    "They confronted a man they believed to be a terrorist, who refused to show his hands, who was violent, and continued to pose a clear threat," he says.

    "These were not armed officers and they feared he was carrying an explosive device."

    He says they managed to detain the man while he was trying to stab them. "Without their bravery I doubt to think what the outcome could have been," he says.

  9. Man arrested over attack has history of serious violence and mental health issuespublished at 15:57 BST
    Breaking

    Rowley says the man arrested over the attack has a history of serious violence and mental health issues.

  10. Met Police chief begins speakingpublished at 15:54 BST

    Sir Mark RowleyImage source, Reuters

    Sir Mark Rowley, commissioner for the Metropolitan Police, has started speaking in Golders Green, where the attack took place earlier today.

    We will bring his remarks shortly.

  11. Met Police chief speaking soonpublished at 15:50 BST

    Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley and Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim MirvisImage source, Reuters

    Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley is in Golders Green and is speaking soon.

    He is accompanied by Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis.

    We'll bring you updates as they come.

  12. 'Words of condemnation are no longer sufficient' - chief rabbipublished at 15:35 BST

    Sir Ephraim Mirvis pictured wearing a black suit, white shirt and black tie in a crowdImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    The chief rabbi pictured in Golders Green in March, after an arson attack on four Jewish community ambulances

    Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis says "words of condemnation are no longer sufficient" following this morning's attack.

    "This must be a moment that demands meaningful action from every institution, every community, every leader, and every decent person in our country," he writes on X.

    "This is a hatred that we must face down together."

  13. Police trying to determine whether Jewish community deliberately targetedpublished at 15:26 BST

    Counter-terror head Laurence Taylor has now finished his brief statement. He praised the bravery of members of the public who responded at the scene.

    He said police were working alongside partners in security services to obtain a full picture of the incident, including trying to determine whether the Jewish community in London was deliberately targeted.

    Taylor said the community was strong, but will be "incredibly concerned" by the events of today, "particularly in the wake of other incidents in recent weeks".

    He finished by stressing that counter terror police forces were mobilising up and down the country "to provide additional support and reassurance".

    He asked that the public remains vigilant and provide support to communities, and called for people to "be alert to what is happening where you live".

  14. Formally declared a terrorist incident - counter-terror assistant commissionerpublished at 15:19 BST
    Breaking

    Assistant Commissioner Laurence TaylorImage source, PA Media

    Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor is now speaking.

    He says the attack has formally been declared a terrorist incident.

  15. Security on high alert in resilient Golders Green communitypublished at 15:14 BST

    Rajini Vaidyanathan
    Reporting from Golders Green

    Police cordon tape strewn across the street sign for Highfield AvenueImage source, Reuters

    What's usually a bustling stretch of Golders Green road with fruit shops, a kosher supermarket, a butchers and baker, now lies behind police tape - as police officers investigate the scene of the stabbing.

    This is a resilient community. It was just weeks ago that four ambulances operated by the Jewish medical charity Hatzola were set alight, just metres from today's incident.

    In recent weeks I've interviewed Jewish leaders who say attacks on their community have risen - there have been other arson attacks in other parts of London including on a synagogue.

    Security is already on high alert - today's attacks mean many here feel even less safe.

  16. Where did the attack happen?published at 15:09 BST

    As we've been reporting, two Jewish men have been stabbed in Golders Green in north London.

    The Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service say they have responded to an incident in Highfield Avenue.

    Meanwhile, a local resident told us that one stabbing took place on Golders Green Road outside some shops, while the other was on a side road outside a synagogue.

    Map of the Golders Green area in north London highlighting Golders Green Road and Highfield Avenue in red. Nearby landmarks are labelled, including Brent Cross shopping centre and the North Circular Road to the west. An inset map in the top left shows the location of the area in northwest London.
  17. 'We were first on scene,' Shomrim security service volunteer sayspublished at 14:56 BST

    Lucy Manning
    Reporting from Golders Green

    Two men standing with security vests near an ambulance.
    Image caption,

    Ben Grossnass (left) and Steven Bak from Shomrim

    Ben Grossnass from Shomrim, a Jewish security volunteer group, describes how the team responded:

    "We got a phone call to the hotline saying that there's a man stabbing people and we sent our members to scene. We were first on scene, and we apprehended him together with the police.

    "He was outside the synagogue on Highfield Avenue, and he started stabbing someone outside there.

    "Then he went on down Golders Green Road, and he continued stabbing a visibly Jewish man and he went after him, pushed him over and started stabbing him repeatedly."

    Just a few weeks ago there was an arson attack against Hatzola ambulances run by a Jewish medical charity, almost in the same place. They treated the injured this morning. Here's Grossnass again:

    "It's just one after another and we're just crying out to the government to listen to us, feel the pain of the community. What's going on? How much more can we take? We're still in shock from the previous instance and this one happened."

    Steven Bak, also from Shomrim, says everyone is shocked.

    "Our kids are in shock and fear and having a hard time at the moment, just going up, walking, going to the shops, going to synagogue. So we have to pull together like we normally do, and just try and continue life," he says.

  18. Heavy police presence in Golders Greenpublished at 14:47 BST

    A police cordon remains in place after a man was arrested following the attack in Golders Green.

    Police speak to people from the cordon in Golders GreenImage source, AFP via Getty Images
    An ambulanec is parked behind a police cordon with multiple police officers standing by itImage source, AFP via Getty Images
    A police officer stands in front of a blocked off street with several vehicles behind him.Image source, Reuters
    A police officer takes down a statement from a womanImage source, AFP via Getty Images
  19. Three were treated at scene with air ambulance deployed, says LASpublished at 14:32 BST

    The London Ambulance Service says three patients were treated at the scene following the attack - the service took two to hospital, with the third taken by Hatzola, a volunteer Jewish ambulance service.

    As a reminder, police said two people were injured in the attacks, aged in their 70s and 30s, with a suspect Tasered and arrested.

    The LAS adds that a "number of resources", including an air ambulance, were sent to the scene.

    "We were called at 11.22am today [29 April] to reports of a stabbing on Highfield Avenue, NW11.

    "We sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, paramedics in fast response cars, an advanced paramedic and an incident response officer. We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance."

    An image shared on social media earlier appeared to show an air ambulance near the scene.

    An air ambulance appears to have landed in a park area. Two men stand in the foreground of the imageImage source, Social media
  20. Golders Green attack: Are you in the area?published at 14:23 BST

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