London Bishops Voice Solidarity With Jewish Community After Suspected Arson Attacks

LONDON, DC News — Senior Anglican bishops in London have expressed solidarity with the city’s Jewish community following a series of suspected arson attacks targeting synagogues and Jewish institutions, incidents that authorities say may be part of a broader and troubling pattern.

In a joint statement released on Monday, the London College of Bishops condemned the attacks as “abhorrent” and warned that such acts of antisemitism undermine the values of a diverse and peaceful city.

The most recent incident occurred late Saturday in Kenton, northwest London, where a fire at the Kenton United Synagogue caused smoke damage to an interior room. No injuries were reported, and the building did not sustain significant structural harm.

The Metropolitan Police said two suspects — a 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man — had been arrested. The investigation is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing London, reflecting what officials described as similarities across several recent incidents.

The attack in Kenton follows a string of related events. On Wednesday, a bottle believed to contain gasoline was found near Finchley Reform Synagogue in Barnet. Two days later, a former office of Jewish Futures in Hendon was also targeted. In a separate incident in March, four ambulances belonging to Hatzola, a Jewish emergency medical service, were set on fire in Golders Green.

A militant group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, has reportedly claimed responsibility for some of the attacks. British authorities are examining possible links to Iranian proxy networks, according to reports by Reuters, amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.

In their statement, the bishops — including the acting Bishop of London, Dr. Emma Ineson — said the attacks appeared designed to intimidate Jewish residents and instill fear in places of worship.

“Violence, hatred and intimidation against people of any faith erode trust, fracture relationships and weaken the foundations of a diverse and peaceful society,” the statement said. “We stand in solidarity with those directly affected and with the entire Jewish community in London at this deeply distressing time.”

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said on social media that what he described as a “sustained campaign of violence and intimidation” against Britain’s Jewish community appeared to be intensifying. He warned that such attacks threatened not only the safety of worshippers but also the broader values of British society.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the incidents in strong terms, calling them “disgusting” and vowing that they would not be tolerated. “An attack on the Jewish community is an attack on Britain,” he said.

Leaders at Kenton United Synagogue have urged the government to formally recognize what they described as an “epidemic of anti-Jewish hatred.”

Data from the Community Security Trust, an independent organization that monitors antisemitism, showed more than 3,700 incidents recorded across Britain in 2025 — the second-highest annual total on record.

The bishops also cautioned that antisemitism does not exist in isolation but is part of a wider pattern of religious hatred and racism. They called on public leaders to ensure the protection of all places of worship and to confront hatred wherever it arises. []