Golders Green terror attack latest: Starmer heckled by protesters after north London stabbing

Demonstrators heckled the prime minister as he arrived at the Jewish community ambulance center in Golders Green.

A group of about 100 people were heard chanting “Keir Starmer, Jewish harmer” and carrying banners with the same slogan.

They also chanted “Keir Starmer is a traitor” and “show your face”.

Sir Keir was due to meet first responders from Hatzola Northwest, a volunteer group whose ambulances were targeted in an arson attack last month.

Zack Polanski accused Labor of “exploiting Jewish pain” to legitimize an “authoritarian” agenda as it considered banning pro-Palestinian marches following the Golders Green attack.

The Green Party leader, the only current Jewish leader of a major political party in the UK, has lashed out at home secretary Shabana Mahmood for hinting she would use new powers to crack down on marches protesting Israel.

In the wake of the attack, there have been growing calls for tougher action against antisemitism, including from Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis.

David Maddox, political editor of The Independent, reports:

Dan Haygarth reports from Golders Green:

The father of one of the victims of a double stabbing in Golders Green said his son was “clearly targeted” because of the way he was dressed.

To talk IndependentShloime Rand’s father has called on Sir Keir Starmer to take action, saying “this could be the one story” that will change things for Jewish communities in the UK.

“Open [that he was targeted because of how he was dressed]Because [the suspect] He was targeting… he was targeting a lot of people and he was only targeting three people,” said Mr. Rand’s father, who did not give his name.

“All three people he targeted were Jews. So he knew who he was after, but he didn’t know who they were.” [personally]So obviously that’s why he went to these [their clothes].

She described her son as a “good man” and said it was because “he dresses the way he dresses and he’s Jewish.”

Asked what the government could do to combat antisemitism he said: “I think it’s [Keir Starmer] it might help but I don’t know if it will help because he has already talked so many times in the last few years and done nothing.

“So I’m sure he can, yes, of course he can. Prime Minister, I hope he can. If he’s going to do it, he hasn’t shown anything so far. So this one story could change the situation, it could, we don’t know.”

The victims of Wednesday morning’s attack include 34-year-old Shloime Rand and 76-year-old Moshe Shine.

The 45-year-old man, who was born in Somalia and identified as a British citizen, was detained after being shocked by the police. His name has not been revealed yet.

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The suspect in a double stabbing attack in Golders Green has been referred to the government’s Counter Extremism program in 2020, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

The Met said: “We can confirm that the suspect was known to the Prevent program and was the subject of a Prevent referral in 2020, which was closed in the same year.

“Given that the investigation is ongoing, we will not be releasing any further information regarding this matter at this time and will continue to focus on achieving justice for the victims of this attack.”

The man suspected in a double stabbing in Golders Green on Wednesday had previously been reported to the UK’s counter-extremism programme.

The BBC said the 45-year-old suspect was understood to have been referred to Prevent, a major counter-terrorism program that places a legal duty on public bodies to identify people who may turn to extremism.

The Home Office refused to confirm the reports.

Nigel Farage also called on the prime minister to take tougher action against pro-Palestinian marches.

Speaking to reporters in Golders Green on Thursday, the Reform UK leader said: “I’m afraid we have allowed marches to take place where chanting can be heard on the streets of London and other cities.

“We did not act and the government was weak, weak, weak on all these issues.

“I’m not claiming that we can turn this tide of hatred around overnight. We can’t. It’s here. It’s entrenched.”