Police investigate attempted arson attack at north-west London synagogue

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Minor smoke damage but no injuries reported at synagogue in Harrow, after spate of similar incidents in recent weeks

An attempted arson attack has been reported at a north-west London synagogue, after a spate of similar incidents.

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, according to the Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism and provides protection for Jewish communities in the UK.

The building is close to a school and children’s playground.

Police were seen searching a black SUV nearby on Sunday morning. A large cordon was 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 synagogue.

A spokesperson for the Community Security Trust 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.”

The Metropolitan police had deployed extra resources to parts of north-west London as it treated a separate attempted arson on Friday night as an antisemitic hate crime.

Counter Terrorism Policing London were leading the investigation into the incident in Hendon, Barnet, as well as those into other attacks, due to the “similar circumstances and online claims of responsibility”, the Met said.

According to police, a man had been spotted approaching a row of shops in Hendon carrying a plastic bag later found to contain three bottles of fluid. He placed the bag by a building, before lighting the items inside and fleeing the scene when they failed to fully ignite. 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 Barnet, north London. Officers said two people wearing dark clothing and balaclavas were seen approaching the synagogue just after midnight. Neither of the bottles were ignited and the people fled the scene, the force added, with no damage or injuries reported.

And four Jewish community ambulances were set on fire in Golders Green in the early hours of 23 March.

A spokesperson for the charity Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “A synagogue in London was firebombed last night in what is now terrifyingly becoming a spate of daily arson attacks on the Jewish community.

“It betrays a cataclysmic failure of the state – politicians, police chiefs and prosecutors – to tackle antisemitic extremism in this country, which has gone largely unchecked for two-and-a-half years. Britain is fundamentally a different country now.

“Still the government refuses to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an obvious first step to address foreign radicalisation and interference. It is shocking that concern for the sensitivities of a violent Iranian regime is more important to the government than the welfare of Jewish people in this country.”

The Metropolitan police have been approached for comment.

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