London: British authorities are investigating a suspected arson attack on four emergency vehicles belonging to a Jewish ambulance service in North London early Monday morning.

The Metropolitan Police stated the incident is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime. Officers were dispatched to Golders Green, a neighbourhood with a significant Jewish population, following reports of a fire involving the fleet of Hatzola Northwest, a volunteer emergency medical organisation.

According to the London Fire Brigade, the blaze caused multiple gas cylinders on the ambulances to detonate. The force of the explosions shattered windows in a neighbouring block of apartments. While nearby residents were evacuated as a precaution, officials confirmed that the fire had been neutralised and no injuries were reported.

Community Alarm and Investigation

"We know this incident will cause a great deal of community concern, and officers remain on scene to carry out urgent enquiries," said Police Superintendent Sarah Jackson.

Jackson noted that while no arrests have been made, authorities have increased patrols in the area to provide reassurance to the local community. The exact cause of the ignition remains under active investigation.

Rising Tide of Antisemitism

The attack comes amid a documented surge in antisemitic incidents across the United Kingdom since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in late 2023. Data from the Community Security Trust, an organisation dedicated to the protection of British Jews, indicates that reported incidents reached 3,700 in 2025, a sharp increase from the 1,662 cases recorded in 2022.

The London incident also follows a high-profile attack in October 2025, when a vehicle was driven into a crowd of worshippers outside a Manchester synagogue during Yom Kippur. That assault resulted in the stabbing death of one individual, while a second person died after being struck by police gunfire during the confrontation.

With inputs from AP