UK counter-terrorism police investigate arson attack on north London synagogue

The attack at Kenton United synagogue was the third targeting Jewish sites in London in less than a week.

UK counter-terrorism police opened an investigation after a fire at Kenton United synagogue in Harrow, north London, shortly after midnight on Sunday.¹² The fire did not cause significant damage, authorities said.¹²

The incident was the third attack on Jewish sites in the British capital in less than a week, according to Britain's chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.¹² On Friday night, an attempted arson attack targeted business premises with links to the Jewish community, and police arrested two suspects days earlier over an attempted arson attack on another synagogue in the capital.¹²

Mirvis described the attacks as "cowardly" and said a "sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum."¹² He added: "Thank God, no lives have been lost, but we cannot, and must not, wait for that to change before we understand just how dangerous this moment is for all of our society."¹²

Separately, police cordoned off an area around the Israeli embassy in London following an online report that it had been targeted with drones carrying "dangerous substances."¹² Police later said items they found did not contain any harmful or hazardous substances.¹²

Last month, several ambulances belonging to Hatzola, a Jewish volunteer emergency service, were damaged in an unspecified incident.¹²