Another Arson Attack Targets London Synagogue as Attacks Mount

Another attempted arson attack targeted Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, northwest London, late Saturday night, leaving minor smoke damage but no injuries, according to the Community Security Trust (CST). 

The incident marks the third attack on Jewish sites in London in less than a week, following similar incidents in Finchley and Hendon. Community leaders and security officials say the pattern points to a growing threat, raising concerns about the safety of Jewish communal life and broader public security in the UK.

Police, fire crews, and CST representatives attended the synagogue overnight, while services for the congregation, led by Rabbi Yehuda Black, were relocated Sunday morning. Officers were seen securing the area and conducting searches as part of an ongoing investigation.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis condemned the incident, calling it a “cowardly attack” and warning of a “dangerous moment” for society. “Last night yet another synagogue, this time in Kenton, was targeted in a cowardly arson attack,” he said, noting that three Jewish sites had been attacked in less than a week. “A sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum.”

CST said the attack caused minor damage to an internal room but no significant structural harm. “We are aware of another attempted arson, this time targeting a synagogue in north London, following similar recent incidents,” the organization said, adding that it is working closely with police as they investigate and seek to identify those responsible.

Authorities have not yet formally linked the recent incidents, but counterterror policing units are involved in the broader investigation and are examining similarities between the attacks. Senior counterterror official Vicki Evans said the incidents are unfolding amid “global instability” and “increasingly aggressive hostile activity” on UK soil, adding that police are managing an “unprecedented level of national security investigations.”

An Islamist group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, issued an unverified claim of responsibility for the Kenton attack on social media, echoing similar claims after previous incidents. Authorities have not confirmed any link between the group and the attacks and continue to investigate possible motives.

Conservative MP Bob Blackman described the attack as “another attempt at intimidating the Jewish population” and called for those responsible to be brought to justice. United Synagogue president Saul Taylor said targeting a synagogue “is a deeply disturbing act that strikes at the heart of Jewish life,” adding that the community “will not be deterred.”

Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg said he had been in contact with community leaders and would engage with government and police in the coming days.

Investigations remain ongoing as authorities seek to identify those responsible and determine whether the incidents are connected.