London — Four ambulances operated by Jewish volunteer emergency service Hatzola were destroyed in a suspected arson attack in Golders Green in the early hours of Monday, with police treating the incident as a possible antisemitic hate crime. No injuries were reported.
Emergency services were alerted at about 1:40 am. The London Fire Brigade sent six fire engines and around 40 firefighters to extinguish the blaze. Explosions from oxygen cylinders inside the vehicles shattered windows of nearby residential buildings, but residents escaped unharmed.
The Metropolitan Police said they are pursuing leads on multiple suspects and reviewing CCTV footage. Additional patrols have been deployed to reassure the local community and officers are engaging with community leaders. Authorities noted the attack comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia involving Israel and Iran and follows a wider rise in antisemitic incidents in the UK.
The targeted ambulances formed part of a community-run emergency response network that supports the NHS. Investigations remain ongoing and police have appealed to the public for information.
