UK probes torching of Jewish ambulances as hate crime

British police are investigating a suspected arson attack on volunteer ambulances operated by a Jewish organization in north London, treating the incident as an antisemitic hate crime.

Four vehicles belonging to the Hatzalah Jewish Community Ambulance service were set on fire early Monday in Golders Green, according to London’s Metropolitan Police.

The London Fire Brigade said it responded to reports of vehicles ablaze at Highfield Court at around 1:40 a.m., with about 40 firefighters dispatched to the scene. Authorities said cylinders on the vehicles exploded, damaging nearby property and shattering windows in an adjacent building.

No injuries were reported and the fires were later brought under control.

Police said officers are reviewing CCTV footage and are looking for three suspects, though no arrests have been made.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the incident, calling it a “deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack.”

“My thoughts are with the Jewish community… Antisemitism has no place in our society,” Starmer said in a post on X.

Nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution, while roads in the area were temporarily closed.

Shomrim North West London, a volunteer neighborhood watch group, described the incident as a “targeted and deeply concerning” attack on a vital emergency service.

“An attack on these ambulances is an attack on the safety, wellbeing, and resilience of our community,” the group said.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting also condemned the incident, calling it a “sickening attack” and urging anyone with information to come forward.

The Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism in the UK, said it is assisting authorities in the investigation.

Hatzola, established in 1979, provides free emergency medical response and transport services to communities in north London.

The incident comes amid reports of rising antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents across the United Kingdom in recent years.