King Charles hailed as ‘genuine friend’ of Jewish community after meeting victims of Golders Green stabbings
King Charles visited Golders Green to show support for the Jewish community and meet the victims of stabbings in the area last month.
On Thursday, the monarch attended the Jewish Care charity centre, where he spoke with 34-year-old Shloime Rand and 76-year-old Moshe Ben Baila, also known as Norman Shine.
Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley also attended the meeting.
Chief Rabbi Mirvis expressed the community’s gratitude, saying they “very much appreciated” this visit to the King.
Charles also contacted members of the Shomrim, the Jewish community police force that responded to the attacks on April 29.
Mr Shine, who was stabbed in the neck outside a bus stop during the incident, later shared his experience and spoke of the “genuine warmth” he felt from the King.
He said: “He was very worried.
“The most inspiring thing was that he didn’t let go of my hand, I mean it was amazing, he is the King but I felt real warmth and concern inside.”
He said the visit was “extremely important” for the entire Jewish community.
“We think we have a real friend in the King,” he added.
After meeting the victims, the King greeted the crowd gathered outside the aid center on Golders Green Road.
He waved to the crowd gathered outside and was greeted with chants of “Long Live the King”.
Charles shook hands with a man who turned 100 on Thursday.
“I hope they will congratulate you well and I hope you will receive a card from me,” said the King.
He was then served a loaf of traditional Challah bread in front of the Grodz bakery on the main street and spoke to children at a local primary school.
Alleged Golders Green attacker Essa Suleiman, 45, has been detained on three charges of attempted murder.
Suleiman is accused of trying to kill his friend of 20 years, Ismail Hussein, at his home in Southwark, before stabbing two Jewish victims in the street on April 29.
Suleiman was born in Somalia and came to the UK legally as a child in the 1990s and was reported to the Government’s counter-extremism program Prevent in 2020, but the case was closed the same year.
