Four Hatzola Ambulances Destroyed in Antisemitic Arson Attack in North London

Four ambulances belonging to the Hatzola Jewish community ambulance service were set on fire in Golders Green, north London, in the early hours of March 23, 2026, in an attack the Metropolitan Police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime. The London Fire Brigade was called to Highfield Road at approximately 01:40 GMT. No injuries were reported, and all fires were extinguished, though nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution. Explosions were also reported at the scene, which police believe were caused by gas canisters stored inside the ambulances.

CCTV footage shows suspects approaching vehicles before flames CCTV footage released by police shows several suspects approaching one of the ambulances before it was engulfed in flames. A separate video captured a large fire and an explosion. Metropolitan Police Superintendent Sarah Jackson said officers are searching for three suspects in connection with the attack. Jackson added that police are aware the incident will cause significant concern within the community and that officers remain on scene conducting urgent inquiries. The Met confirmed all four vehicles belonging to the Jewish community ambulance service were damaged in the suspected arson.

Starmer and Streeting condemn attack in strong terms Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned what he described as a deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack. Writing on X, Starmer expressed solidarity with the Jewish community waking up to the news. „At a time when Jewish communities around the world are facing a growing pattern of these violent attacks, we will meet this moment with shared resolve and stand together against hatred and intimidation.” — Keir Starmer via Evening Standard Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting echoed those remarks, describing the incident as an abhorrent attack on Jewish ambulances and calling on the public to stand together against antisemitic hatred. Streeting separately called the attack sickening in a post on X, adding that society must unite against antisemitic hatred.

Attack follows deadly Manchester synagogue incident in October 2025 The arson in Golders Green occurred several months after a terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester in October 2025, in which two people were killed. Golders Green, located in the London Borough of Barnet in north London, has historically been home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the United Kingdom. The Hatzola service operates as a volunteer emergency medical organization serving Jewish communities, responding to medical emergencies regardless of patients' backgrounds. The Manchester synagogue attack in October 2025 marked one of the most serious incidents of antisemitic violence in the United Kingdom in recent years, resulting in two deaths according to reporting cited in Polish-language Politico coverage of the Golders Green attack. The Golders Green attack drew immediate responses from senior government figures, reflecting broader concerns about rising antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom and internationally. Police have not publicly named any suspects and the investigation remains ongoing.