Four Jewish Ambulances Destroyed in Suspected Hate Crime Arson in London

Police in London have launched an investigation into a suspected antisemitic hate crime after four ambulances operated by a Jewish volunteer organisation were destroyed in an overnight arson attack.

The London Fire Brigade said it received a call at about 1:40 a.m. on Monday reporting vehicles ablaze at Highfield Court in Golders Green, a neighbourhood known for its large Jewish population.

Firefighters arriving at the scene found multiple vehicles engulfed in flames, with gas cylinders on board exploding and causing damage to nearby residential buildings, including shattered windows.

According to the Metropolitan Police Service, the vehicles destroyed were four ambulances belonging to Hatzalah, a Jewish community emergency medical service.

“Officers remain on scene, and the arson attack is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime,” police said in a statement.

Authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported, and the fires were successfully extinguished. However, residents in nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution, while road closures were put in place during the emergency response.

Superintendent Sarah Jackson said investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and circulating videos shared online. Police believe up to three suspects may have been involved, though no arrests had been made as of Monday morning.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The incident has drawn strong condemnation from Shomrim North West London, a volunteer security group, which described the attack as “targeted and deeply concerning.”

“An attack on these ambulances is an attack on the safety, well-being, and resilience of our community,” the group said, warning that such acts of hate have no place in society.

The destruction of emergency response vehicles has raised concerns about the potential impact on community safety, as Hatzalah plays a critical role in providing rapid medical assistance within the local Jewish population.

Police say investigations are ongoing as they work to identify and apprehend those responsible.