Suspect arrested after two Jewish people stabbed in London

British police have arrested a man after two Jewish people were stabbed in northern London, according to Jewish groups, after a series of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in the area.

The 45-year-old man was arrested after he was seen running with a knife “attempting to stab Jewish members of the public”, the Shomrim Jewish neighbourhood watch said on Wednesday on social media.

It added that the two people who had been stabbed were being treated by Hatzola, a Jewish volunteer ambulance service.

The incident in the British capital happened in Golders Green, home to a large Jewish community.

The Community Security Trust also reported the attack in a post on social media.

“We are working closely with the police and urge anyone with information to contact the police, Shomrim and CST immediately,” said the charity, which provides safety advice and security to Jewish groups and buildings such as synagogues.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the stabbing as “deeply concerning”.

Starmer told lawmakers in parliament that a police investigation was under way and “we all need to … be absolutely clear in our determination to deal with any of these offences, the like of which we have seen too much recently”.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the attack.

“There has been an appalling attack on two Jewish Londoners in Golders Green. The police have made an arrest and I’d like to thank all the emergency services and heroic volunteers… for their swift response,” Khan said in a post on social media.

“London’s Jewish community have been the target of a series of shocking antisemitic attacks. There must be absolutely no place for antisemitism in society,” he added.

The incident comes in the wake of a spate of arson attacks on synagogues and community sites in north London in recent weeks.

The first attack in late March saw four ambulances belonging to Hatzola set ablaze.

Other incidents have followed, including an attack on the Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow as well as the premises of a Jewish charity.

Last week, the Finchley Reform Synagogue was targeted.

Police have arrested 26 people for the various attacks, launched since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28.

Many of the incidents have been claimed by a little-known group, believed to be linked to Iran, called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), meaning the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand.