Four ambulances run 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 a.m. The London Fire Brigade sent six fire engines and roughly 40 firefighters to bring the blaze under control. Explosions from oxygen cylinders inside the vehicles shattered windows of nearby residential buildings, but residents were able to leave unharmed.
The Metropolitan Police said investigators are following leads on multiple suspects and reviewing CCTV footage. Extra patrols have been deployed to reassure the local community, and officers are engaging with community leaders as inquiries continue.
Police and officials noted the attack comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia involving Israel and Iran and follows a broader rise in antisemitic incidents reported across the UK. The targeted vehicles were part of a community-run emergency response network that supports NHS services.
Investigations remain ongoing and police have appealed to anyone with information to come forward.
