Authorities in London are investigating a suspected antisemitic hate crime after four ambulances belonging to a Jewish emergency service were set ablaze in the early hours of the morning.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the incident is being treated as a targeted attack following reports of a fire on Highfield Road in the Golders Green area at approximately 01:40 GMT.
According to the London Fire Brigade, multiple gas cylinders inside the vehicles exploded during the blaze, shattering windows in a nearby residential building. Emergency crews deployed six fire engines and around 40 firefighters to bring the situation under control.
As a precaution, residents from nearby homes were evacuated, with about 30 people temporarily relocated to a local shelter. Officials confirmed that no injuries were reported, and the fires were fully extinguished. No arrests have been made so far.
The ambulances belonged to Hatzola, a volunteer-run, non-profit organization that provides free emergency medical care and transport to hospitals.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis strongly condemned the recent arson attacks targeting the Hatzola ambulance service, describing the incident as a “particularly sickening assault – not only on the Jewish community, but on the values we share as a society.”
Praising Hatzola as an “extraordinary” organization, Mirvis emphasized that its “sole mission is to protect life, Jewish and non-Jewish alike.”
Taking to X, he highlighted the stark contrast between the perpetrators and the volunteer responders. “The targeting of Hatzola by people so committed to terror, hatred and the desecration of life is a most painful illustration of the ongoing battle between those who sanctify life and those who seek to destroy it,” he stated.
Addressing the broader context of rising antisemitism, Mirvis concluded with a call for unity: “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.”
Reacting to the incident, Ephraim Mirvis condemned the attack as “deeply disturbing,” describing it as an assault not only on the Jewish community but also on broader societal values. He emphasized that Hatzola’s mission is to save lives regardless of background and warned that such acts of violence reflect a growing pattern of hostility faced by Jewish communities worldwide.
Police investigations are ongoing as officials work to identify those responsible for the attack.
