Golders Green stabbings: What happened and who is the suspect?

Police declared a terrorist incident after two Jewish men were stabbed in a street in Golders Green, north London.

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 yet been released but police said he had previously been referred to the government’s Countering Extremism programme.

What happened?

CCTV appears to show the moment the man launched the attacks in which he stabbed men described as “innocent bystanders”.

Members of the local volunteer security service Shomrim were reportedly first on the scene and helped capture the suspect, who then attempted to stab police officers when they arrived at the scene.

“[He] He walked outside a synagogue and started stabbing people, pushed one of the victims and continued stabbing him,” said volunteer Ben Grossnass, who was at the scene with Shomrim. according to Jewish History.

Dramatic body camera video shows the gunman approaching two officers who tell him to “stay back” and “get down” and then fire stun guns, knocking the suspect to the ground. As he entered, they shouted at him to “drop the knife”.

The man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

It was learned that both of the injured were treated at the scene and their condition was stable at the hospital.

The suspect was also taken to hospital but was later released under police supervision.

The mother of one of the victims said she was “horrified” that such an attack took place on the streets of London.

Shloime Rand’s mother he told the BBC: “I am quite appalled that such things could happen on the streets of London, in an innocent community where we try our best not to harm anyone.

“Shloime was walking down the street minding her own business. I was able to see her yesterday. Thank God, she was conscious the whole time. We hope she will be home before Shabbat.”

Who is the suspect?

Few details have emerged other than the suspect’s British nationality, that he was born in Somalia and that he came to the UK legally in the 1990s. His name has not been publicly disclosed; This is normal procedure until the suspect is formally charged.

Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley told reporters the man in custody had a “history of serious violence and mental health problems”.

On Thursday, it was revealed that the 45-year-old suspect had been referred to the government’s Countering Extremism Program in 2020.

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 police also a previous event Same morning in south London.

Officers were called to an incident at an address on Great Dover Street in the Borough just before 9am on Wednesday.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police said: “The suspect, who was reportedly armed with a knife, is thought to have argued with the person inside the building before leaving. The person inside suffered minor injuries and police arrived at the scene approximately six minutes after being called.” he said.

“The suspect in this incident is believed to be the same person arrested in Golders Green.”

What was the response?

Counter-terrorism police are investigating whether the stabbings are linked to recent arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish sites in the British capital.

Sir Mark said it was “another appalling act of violence against our Jewish communities”.

But some British Jews expressed anger at the authorities’ failure to keep them safe. According to the AP report, when Rowley made a statement to the media at the scene of the stabbing, he was met with shouts of “shame on you” and “resign” from those around him.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she considered the increase in antisemitic attacks in the UK an “emergency” and the government announced £25 million in extra funding to increase police patrols and security in Jewish communities in the wake of the attack.

The funding will be used to provide increased protection around synagogues, schools and community centres.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a meeting with the government’s emergency committee and vowed to “tackle the roots of antisemitism and extremism”. Buckingham Palace, King George III. He said Charles was “deeply concerned”.

Britain’s chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, said Jews in Britain now face a campaign of violence and intimidation and words of condemnation are no longer enough.

“This must be a moment that requires meaningful action from every institution, every community, every leader and every respected person in our country,” he said. “This is a hatred that we must confront together.”

Britain’s long-established Jewish community represents a small percentage of the population. The 2021 Census reported that there were 287,360 people in England and Wales who identified as Jewish, with more than half (53.6 per cent) living in London. Golders Green is one of the community’s largest areas, home to kosher restaurants, Jewish schools and several dozen synagogues, as well as large Asian and Middle Eastern communities.

The number of anti-Semitic incidents reported across the UK has risen since the attack on southern Israel by Hamas-led militants on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza, according to the Community Security Trust charity.

The group recorded 3,700 incidents in 2025, up from 1,662 in 2022, AP reports.