Another attempted arson attack reported at north London synagogue overnight
The incident at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow on Saturday night caused minor smoke damage to an internal room but no injuries or significant structural damage
Police officers patrol at a cordon near to an incident at the Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, north-west London.
Picture:
Jamie Lashmar/PA Wire
Counter terror officers are leading the investigation into an attempted arson attack at Kenton United Synagogue in north-west London overnight. Multiple arson or attempted arson attacks have been investigated on Jewish property in the area in the past month.The incident at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow on Saturday night caused minor smoke damage to an internal room but no injuries or significant structural damage, the Community Security Trust (CST) said.The building is close to a school and children’s playground, and police were seen searching a black SUV nearby on Sunday morning.A large cordon is in place and a forensics officer, fire investigation dogs and several plainclothes officers were working at the scene.One marked and about five unmarked police cars were outside the place of worship.Read more: Police treating arson attack on Jewish charity's former premises as antisemitic hate crimeRead more: Jewish community urged to ‘remain calm’ after another arson attack
Police officers patrol at a cordon near to an incident at the Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, north-west London.
Picture:
Alamy
A spokesman from the Met Police said: “At around midnight on Sunday, 19 April officers on deterrence and reassurance patrols following a series of incidents in north west London noticed damage to a window of the Kenton United Synagogue in Shaftesbury Avenue, Harrow. “On further inspection they saw smoke inside a room and evidence that a bottle with some sort of accelerant had been thrown through the window."They added that the London Fire Brigade was called, and firefighters have searched the building to confirm that there was no further fire risk. “The incident is being treated as arson and an investigation is underway led by Counter Terrorism Policing London, supported by local officers.”
Police officers patrol at a cordon near to an incident at the Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, north-west London.
Picture:
Alamy
A spokesperson for CST said: “We are aware of another attempted arson, this time targeting a synagogue in north London, following similar recent incidents targeting the Jewish community in Finchley, Golders Green and Hendon.“We want to thank the Met Police and London Fire Brigade for responding quickly and for all they are doing to protect the Jewish community during this unprecedented period.“We are supporting the affected location and are working closely with the police as they investigate and seek to identify those responsible.”A local resident told LBC that he is "not surprised" by the latest attack and that people think it's "a joke".They said: "It was only a matter of time before something in this area happened. "We've seen what's happened in Hendon, we've seen what's happened in Golders Green, we've seen what's happened in Finchley and local area on our doorstep has been attacked by something so cowardly, something so vile and it's just frightening, to be honest."Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for Harrow East, has spoken to LBC News’ Chris Golds following that attack on a synagogue in his constituency.He said: "It's yet another attack on the Jewish community in northwest London. This seems to be now escalating out of all proportion."We've allowed anti-Semitism in London to grow and to continue to be accepted on our streets."The Kenton United Synagogue is close to a school and children’s playground, and police were seen searching a black SUV nearby on Sunday morning.
Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for Harrow East, told LBC that attacks on the Jewish community "seems to be now escalating".
Picture:
Alamy
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “At around midnight on Sunday 19 April, officers on deterrence and reassurance patrols following a series of incidents in north-west London noticed damage to a window of the Kenton United Synagogue in Shaftesbury Avenue, Harrow.“On further inspection they saw smoke inside a room and evidence that a bottle with some sort of accelerant had been thrown through the window.“The London Fire Brigade was called and firefighters searched the building to confirm that there was no further fire risk.“The incident is being treated as arson and an investigation is underway led by Counter Terrorism Policing London, supported by local officers.”Sir Keir Starmer said he is “appalled” at the recent spate of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in north London, adding: “We are increasing visible policing and those responsible will be found and brought to justice.”This comes hours after the Metropolitan Police deployed extra resources to parts of north-west London as it treated an attempted arson on Friday night as an antisemitic hate crime.Counter Terrorism Policing London is leading the investigation into the incident in Hendon, Barnet, as well as probes into other attacks because of the “similar circumstances and online claims of responsibility”, the Met said.
A police officers stand in front an office formerly used by the business "Jewish futures" in Hendon, north London on April 18, 2026.
Picture:
JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images
A man had been spotted approaching a row of Hendon shops carrying a plastic bag later found to contain three bottles of fluid, the force added.He placed the bag by a building before lighting the items inside and fleeing the scene when they failed to fully ignite, according to police.The former Jewish Futures building sustained minor damage to its shopfront with no injuries reported.On Wednesday, bottles, one thought to contain petrol, were placed near Finchley Reform Synagogue in Fallow Court Avenue, Finchley.Officers said two people, who were wearing dark clothing and balaclavas, were seen approaching the synagogue just after midnight.
Police outside Finchley Reform Synagogue in north London after an attempted arson attack on April 15.
Picture:
Alamy
Neither of the bottles ignited and the people fled the scene, the force added, with no damage or injuries reported.This came after four Jewish community ambulances were torched in Golders Green in the early hours of March 23.Armed response vehicles, CTP resources and police motorbikes were deployed to Barnet after the Hendon attack, and a “significantly increased” number of uniformed and plain clothed Met officers will be visible through the weekend.Extra stop and search powers were also granted across the borough.A spokesperson for the CST, the charity which monitors antisemitism and provides protection for Jewish communities in the UK, said: “We are aware of another attempted arson, this time targeting a synagogue in north London, following similar recent incidents targeting the Jewish community in Finchley, Golders Green and Hendon.“We want to thank the Met Police and London Fire Brigade for responding quickly and for all they are doing to protect the Jewish community during this unprecedented period.“We are supporting the affected location and are working closely with the police as they investigate and seek to identify those responsible.”A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said this “is now terrifyingly becoming a spate of daily arson attacks on the Jewish community”.
