Counter-Terrorism Police Launch Investigation Into Golders Green Ambulance Arson As 264 Extra Officers Deployed To Protect Jewish Communities Before Passover

Counter-terrorism officers have taken charge of the investigation into the arson attack on four Jewish charity ambulances in Golders Green, as London’s Metropolitan Police announces a significant surge in protective operations across the capital’s Jewish communities ahead of Passover.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, speaking outside New Scotland Yard on Tuesday, confirmed that 264 additional officers have been deployed to patrol Jewish areas of London. The reinforced presence includes visible armed officers on foot, mounted police and specialist drone units. Schools and synagogues are receiving dedicated attention as part of the security uplift.
Mr Taylor described the attack as “absolutely horrendous”, adding that while the Jewish community had shown resilience in the face of repeated incidents in recent years, they were “clearly very frightened” — a reaction he said officers fully understood.
The four ambulances destroyed in the early hours of Monday morning belonged to Hatzola North West, a volunteer emergency medical service founded in 1979 that operates across Hendon, Golders Green, Finchley, Mill Hill, Hampstead and Colindale. The organisation receives no government or NHS funding and relies entirely on private donations, responding to thousands of emergencies each year.
Newly released footage captures the moment one of the vehicles exploded during the blaze, with orange and pink flames erupting into the air as firefighters attempting to douse the fire stepped back from the force of the explosion. The attack took place directly beside the Machzike Hadath Synagogue in the early hours of Monday morning.
Damon Hoff, president of the synagogue, told the Press Association that internal damage to the building had been limited, crediting the swift response of emergency services. “Surprisingly, the internal damage is very limited,” he said, noting that external damage and some ceiling damage was more significant. The synagogue remained open on Tuesday, with Mr Hoff confirming morning prayers had taken place.
A local resident, Yared Santa Ana, 44, said she was woken by her dog at around 1.40am and witnessed the scene from her window opposite. She described hearing the explosion of oxygen tanks, saying the noise was “quite loud” and that she “could feel it in the structure.”
Investigators are examining a claim of responsibility made online by a group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia. Mr Taylor confirmed this was among the active lines of inquiry, noting the group had previously claimed involvement in incidents across Europe. He stressed that bringing those responsible into custody “as quickly as we can” remained the priority.
The assistant commissioner also addressed the broader threat picture facing Jewish communities, pointing to a fifty per cent rise in national security act investigations in the six months to December last year — itself part of a fivefold increase over the preceding four to five years. He identified Iran, Russia and China as the primary sources of hostile state activity, including the use of proxies to carry out operations on British soil. Earlier this month, two men were charged with allegedly conducting surveillance of Jewish people and locations on behalf of Iran.
Official figures show Jewish people face the highest rate of religiously motivated hate crime of any faith group recorded by police in England and Wales. In October 2025, two worshippers were killed in an attack on a synagogue in Manchester.
With Passover beginning on Wednesday 1 April, police say the enhanced patrols will remain in place through the festival period. Mr Taylor acknowledged the significance of religious dates, noting that the Jewish community would be particularly mindful of the Manchester attack, which also occurred during a religious observance.
“An attack on the Jewish community is an attack on the British community,” Mr Taylor said, “and it’s absolutely appalling that anybody in Britain should feel unsafe and vulnerable to this type of crime.“​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​