Golders Green terror attack latest: Starmer heckled by protesters after north London stabbing

Demonstrators heckled the prime minister as he arrived at a Jewish community ambulance centre in Golders Green.

A group of around 100 people could be heard chanting “Keir Starmer, Jew harmer” and held posters with the same slogan.

They also chanted “Keir Starmer is a traitor” as well as “show your face”.

Sir Keir was due to meet first responders from Hatzola Northwest, a volunteer group whose ambulances were targeted in an arson attack last month.

Zack Polanski has accused Labour of “using Jewish pain” to justify an “authoritarian” agenda in considering banning pro-Palestinian marches after the Golders Green attack.

The Green Party leader, who is the only current Jewish leader of a major political party in the UK, hit out at home secretary Shabana Mahmood as she hinted at using new powers for a crackdown on marches protesting against Israel.

There are growing calls for tougher action against antisemitism, including from Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, in the wake of the attack.

The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:

Dan Haygarth reports from Golders Green:

The father of one of the victims of the double stabbing in Golders Green has said his son was “obviously targeted” because of how he was dressed.

Speaking to The Independent, Shloime Rand’s father urged Sir Keir Starmer to take action, saying “it could be this one story” that will change things for Jewish communities in the UK.

“It’s obvious [that he was targeted because of how he was dressed], because [the suspect] was targeting… he was going through a lot of people and he only targeted three,” Mr Rand’s father, who did not give his name, said.

“All the three he targeted were Jewish people. So obviously he knew who he was going for and but didn’t know who they are [personally], so it’s just obviously, that’s why he went for those [their clothes].

He described his son as a “good fellow” and said it happened because “he was dressed the way he was dressed and because he is a Jew”.

Asked what the government could do to tackle antisemitism he said: “I think he [Keir Starmer] can help, but I don’t know if he will help because he already spoke quite a lot of times in the last few years and hasn’t done anything.

“So I’m sure he can, yeah, obviously he can. The prime minister, I hope he can. If he will, well, until today he hasn’t shown anything. So it could be this one story will change the matter, it could be, we don’t know.”

Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, have been named as the two victims in the attack, which took place on Wednesday morning.

A 45-year-old man, identified as a British national who was born in Somalia, is in custody after he was tasered by police. His name has not yet been released.

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In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said the suspect in the double stabbing attack in Golders Green was referred to the government’s Prevent counter-extremism programme in 2020.

The Met said: “We can confirm the suspect was known to the Prevent programme and was subject to a Prevent referral in 2020, which was closed in the same year.

“Given the investigation remains ongoing, we will not be providing any further information in respect of this matter at this time and we remain focused on securing justice for the victims of this attack.”

The man suspected of carrying out a double stabbing in Golders Green on Wednesday had previously been reported to the UK’s counter-extremism programme, it has been reported.

The BBC has said it understands the 45-year-old suspect had been referred to Prevent, a key counter-terror programme which places a legal duty on public bodies to identify people who may turn to extremism.

The Home Office has declined to confirm the reports.

Nigel Farage also called on the prime minister to take tougher action on pro-Palestine marches.

Speaking to reporters in Golders Green on Thursday, the Reform UK leader said: “I’m afraid we have allowed marches to take place, with chants being heard over the streets of London and other cities.

“We’ve not acted and the government has been weak, weak, weak on all of this.

“I’m not pretending we can reverse this tide of hatred overnight. We can’t. It’s here. It’s embedded.”

A picture of the suspect behind an alleged terrorist attack in Golders Green appears to be holding a knife as he walks away from the scene, a picture shows.

The 45-year-old man is a British national who was born in Somalia and came to the UK in the 1990s, authorities said.

He has a history of serious violence and mental health issues, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said in a statement at the scene.