A synagogue in north London was the target of an attempted arson attack overnight, marking the latest incident in a series of acts against the Jewish community in the area. The incident at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, which occurred around midnight, saw a bottle containing accelerant thrown through a window, causing minor smoke damage to an internal room. Fortunately, no injuries or significant structural damage were reported, according to the Community Security Trust (CST).
Police are treating the event as an 'antisemitic hate crime.' This latest event follows a pattern of similar incidents in north London in recent days and weeks. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed they are investigating.
London Incidents Escalate
The attempted arson at Kenton United Synagogue is part of a concerning trend. Counter-terror police are reportedly investigating other incidents, including attempted arson attacks on a Persian language media organisation and a synagogue in Finchley. Additionally, ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set alight in Golders Green last month, leading to three arrests and subsequent charges against three individuals aged 17, 19, and 20.
Read More: North West London Synagogue Targeted Again; Hate Crime Spate Continues
In the Finchley incident, which occurred on April 15th, two suspects wearing dark clothing and balaclavas approached the synagogue and threw two bottles, suspected to contain petrol, along with a brick. Neither bottle ignited, and no damage or injuries were reported. The CST stated that three Jewish sites in London have been attacked in less than a week, including the Finchley synagogue, a Jewish Futures building in Hendon, and the latest incident in Harrow.
Community Leaders Speak Out
Leaders within the Jewish community have expressed deep concern. Chief Rabbi [Name Withheld, based on source] noted that these attacks are "gathering momentum." He described the sustained targeting of the community's ability to worship and live in safety as an attack on "the values that bind us all together." Sarah Sackman, the MP for Finchley and Golders Green, stated her refusal to allow such incidents to become the "new normal."
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Wider Context
While the focus has been on London, similar incidents have occurred elsewhere. A synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, was attacked on March 12th. The response to this attack by a local political candidate drew criticism from the synagogue's rabbi for invoking unrelated geopolitical conflicts, which the rabbi deemed "offensive" and undermining of an initial condemnation of antisemitism. An arson and vandalism attack also occurred at a Jerusalem synagogue in June 2025, which the Shin Bet was treating as a terror incident.
