LONDON – The British police said on Sept 12 that officers investigating a series of antisemitic incidents in north London had arrested a 37-year-old man.
The man was arrested in the Hendon area of north London on suspicion of religiously motivated criminal damage in connection with seven offences and remains in custody, the Metropolitan Police said.
“This is a significant development in our investigation following substantial CCTV enquiries by officers,” said detective Luke Williams.
The force said on Sept 11 that seven Jewish premises, including four synagogues, had been targeted in separate incidents over recent weeks.
The synagogues and a private residence in Golders Green, a predominantly Jewish area, had a substance smeared on them, while a liquid was thrown towards a school and over a car in two other instances.
“These are revolting and appalling acts,” Detective Superintendent Katie Harber, who is leading the investigation, said in a statement on Sept 11 before the arrest.
“We are very aware of how distressing these offences have been for those who have been targeted. We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour,” she added.
Britain has seen an increased number of antisemitic incidents in recent years, with a spike since the Oct 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel, and the resulting war in Gaza.
The Community Security Trust, a Jewish charity, recorded 1,521 antisemitic incidents in the first six months of 2025, down from a record high of 2,019 incidents in the first half of 2024.
But the number in 2025 was the second-highest on record, according to the charity, which has monitored antisemitism in Britain since 1984. AFP