Up next in 10
Two members of the Jewish community were stabbed in a terror attack in Golders Green, North London, on Wednesday. 0:00 | LBC's Fraser Knight reports from the scene 4:22 | Caller Sammy says the government has failed 7:05 | Caller Katie says 'enough is enough' 11:54 | Student Rachel sends a stark warning to other minority groups 13:57 | Caller Mirelle praises Iranian community in London 17:55 | Met Commissioner is heckled during press conference 18:23 | Caller Marshall: 'No one listens to our community' 20:41 | Caller Nat doesn't blame Starmer or the police 24:12 | Jerusalem based caller Moshe: What future do Jews in London have? 25:59 | Israeli spokesman David Mencer reacts to the attack The victims, aged 76 and 34 - who are understood to be members of the orthodox Jewish community - are in a stable condition. They are Nachman Moshe ben Chaya Sarah and Moshe Ben Baila. The suspect was tasered at the scene and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Listen to the full show on the all-new LBC App: https://app.af.lbc.co.uk/btnc/thenewlbcapp #tomswarbrick #fraserknight #goldersgreen #crime #politics #police #netanyahu #israel #LBC LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK. Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/ Sign up to LBC’s weekly newsletter here: https://l-bc.co/signup
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0:00
There's been a lot of activity of police officers in the cordon just behind me here
0:04
It's a very large cordon. And just to give you an idea of where it is, we're in northwest London near to Brent Frost Tube Station
0:13
It is the exact same area where we've seen two arson attacks over the past few weeks
0:18
The first one on the Hatzalah Jewish ambulances and the second one on Monday
0:23
at the memorial wall for Iranian protesters earlier this week. Now, we know that around quarter past 11, there was a man who was seen carrying a knife running down the street
0:36
who is said to have attacked a man in his 30s as he walked out of a synagogue
0:41
before then running further down the street and stabbing another man in his 70s who was standing by a bus station
0:49
So over the past few hours, there's been a huge crowd of people who've gathered here
0:53
many members of the community who, of course, have a lot of concerns about this happening
0:58
People telling me that it has felt like a boiling point, that this was always going to happen
1:05
One man said, of course, we saw the stabbing that happened in Manchester at the synagogue there
1:10
And he said, we didn't think this would come to us so soon
1:14
But here we are, where two people are in hospital having been stabbed
1:19
Now, as you say, we are expecting an update from counterterrorism police
1:23
They have told us that they are leading this investigation. a man who's 45 years old is in police custody
1:30
And they've said that they've been working to establish his nationality. And of course, what the motive behind this attack may have been
1:38
before they may or may not declare this as being a terrorist incident
1:42
They haven't at this stage, though. The politicians, as you know, and you've seen countless times before
1:48
bring out those statements of horror at the attack. And, you know, more must be done
1:54
The Jewish community has our support. are you getting a sense from the people you speak to there that they've had enough of the words
2:00
that's what's coming across on the calls here to me? Very much so. There's people who have been
2:05
complaining really that you know even though there has been you know all this rhetoric and all this
2:10
comment about there being an increased police presence about more being done to protect the
2:15
Jewish community they said it just hasn't felt that way. The Metropolitan Police have said over
2:20
the past four weeks since we saw the fire on the ambulances that had saw the ambulances there have
2:27
been more police officers in this area including armed officers who've been ready to to jump into
2:33
action and actually you know those armed officers were deployed here when we saw that stabbing
2:38
happening this morning but a lot of people really saying this is the government's fault is what
2:44
they've said that you know those words have been said but they don't feel like it's been matched
2:49
with any action. And yet again today we've seen statements from the Prime Minister, from the
2:55
Mayor of London, from the Leader of the Opposition, all talking about how more needs to be done
3:00
to protect the community and understand that there will be some politicians coming here
3:04
this afternoon. There has been a bit of anger among this crowd so it'll be interesting to see
3:11
what the reception will be like when those politicians, if they do, get here. Well we've
3:17
seen before politicians being heckled and shouted at haven't we when they've gone to certain locations
3:22
where there has been an attack or where there are concerns there is a sense that uh that they have
3:28
been too passive in the face of it yeah absolutely and it's not just the politicians either i mean
3:34
i watched earlier as there was a leading members of the community security trust of course that
3:39
organization who are here to protect the jewish community there are even members of this community
3:45
who are angry at the CST. There was quite a heated shouting match
3:49
between some of them. Obviously, a lot of people around here who are feeling the pain
3:54
and trying to calm those tensions, but you can really feel them
3:58
when you speak to people who have said, we're scared to send our wives
4:02
and our daughters out to the shop. We're scared that our children
4:06
are walking to school in this area, going to the synagogue in this area
4:11
when these attacks have happened and are happening so frequently. So there is, you know, a lot of concern and really questions about what happens next
4:21
Can we go on like this? I just wanted to give you some background. I was born in London and I grew up in Europe
4:28
And since I was a child, I always felt anti-Semitism from the early days
4:34
And my parents sent me to London, to England, to pursue higher education and eventually got married
4:42
And all my children now live here in the UK. And the idea behind it was because we have large communities
4:50
I live in the Golders Green area, so we all felt safe at the time
4:55
And as we see time evolving, we see extremism, radicalization, and we start to feel it, and the fear is there
5:07
So me as a person, I commute and I take the tube. I'm a religious Jew
5:12
I'd rather wear a cap, not because I'm scared, but I just hate the confrontation
5:17
I just hate somebody shouting at me saying, free Palestine and things like that
5:21
And all my children who go to university, they all went to different universities
5:25
At some stage, they felt, we can't do that. So they see something
5:32
There are people who you see now daily, hourly, who see the outward signs of your faith
5:38
and say you're responsible for what is happening in Gaza? So that's what it appears to be
5:46
But I'm personally not an Zionist. Of course, we're still for what's happening in Israel
5:53
and we very much support it. But at the end of the day, we want to live a life that has purpose
6:01
and my children have the future. And I feel that the government has failed on this front
6:06
because they're not providing, they don't have the rules and they're not strict enough to allow us to be able to live peacefully in this country
6:17
where we thought at the beginning, when I moved here, I thought yes. Well, I wonder what further enforcement needs to happen and of what rules
6:27
As Jonathan Hall, who's the independent reviewer of terror legislation, who we have on a fair bit because he's a man with a very difficult job at the moment
6:34
his view that he aired with us several months ago is that it's been far far too tolerant
6:40
of the outward signs of anti-semitism indeed the outward signs of terrorist support frankly
6:45
when there are people wandering around the streets of london displaying symbols of hamas it's been too easy to tolerate it frankly as i've said to you for years since october the 7th i have
6:54
been utterly shocked at the extent of um the support it would seem for terrorist organizations
7:02
be it Hamas or the Houthis on the streets of this city and others? I'm shaking with anger
7:08
I'm very, very upset and distressed. I don't think our community can take much more and we're angry
7:17
And enough is enough. I mean these marches have been going on forever asking to globalise the intifada Well now you see it unfold on on our streets You know a man walking down with a kippah on his head
7:32
minding his own business, gets grabbed by the neck or by the T-shirt and stabbed in the chest
7:38
And it's just abhorrent. It's just absolutely abhorrent. We don't feel safe
7:44
We're telling our children to hide their identity. How much more security can we have around our synagogues
7:51
and our schools and no one is doing anything about it. And we're cross, beyond cross
7:58
Well, Katie, I think it would be surprising if you weren't cross
8:02
and I'm not surprised that you're beyond cross because, as you say, there have been the steady drip, drip, drip
8:09
of incidents that are designed to disrupt and scare people in that community
8:16
whether it's bottles of petrol being thrown at synagogues, whether it's people running around with bottles of fluid
8:22
and lighting them in the doorway of buildings that were formerly occupied by Jewish charities
8:28
and actually were it not for the volunteer groups that are in Jewish communities to police and keep them safe
8:35
were it not, in this case, for the Shomrim or for the Hatzola, this could have been a heck of a lot worse
8:40
It could have, but we shouldn't need it. Do you know any other community in this country
8:45
that needs this level of security where we've got sniffer dogs going into school
8:49
as if that's normal. I mean, it's just intolerable. So where do we start
8:57
Where does one start with cleaning house owners? I have to say, not you
9:03
the police need to be all over social media, TikTok. I mean, we're talking about young kids being paid
9:10
probably because they've got nothing else, good money, nothing else to do
9:14
on the dark web being paid to go out and just kill Jews. And we're talking about influencers with millions and millions of followers
9:22
I mean, millions. It's very easy to amalgamate millions of people to hate Jews
9:28
And there's no nuanced conversation on social media. It's black or white
9:33
And even the people I work with, well, but. There's no but
9:37
No but. Don't give me well but. When you say the people you work with, in what circumstances are they saying well but
9:43
All over social media. I work in women's health. I run a not-for-profit and I've worked very happily with millions of very well-educated doctors, not millions, sorry, masses of very well-educated doctors for years
9:58
And it's just no one speaks out, no one rings you and says, I'm so sorry what's happening to your community
10:04
it's like you know if it was if it was god forbid a couple of you know black men or gay men that
10:11
were stabbed in the street all over social media black lives matter gay lives matter trans lives
10:16
matter and i'm the first to stand up for every community out there any marginalized community
10:22
we need we need every leader of every um religious organization to stand up and say
10:30
enough is enough. We need to be educating people in schools not Jewish kids
10:37
It's just intolerable. I mean, I'm literally serious. I mean, my parents are in their
10:44
80s and they just turned to me today and said I can't
10:48
just believe this is happening again. You know, never thought in our lifetime
10:52
we would be experiencing this. And in Britain. and in Britain and we have given so much to this country we know my grandparents arrived in this
11:03
country as refugees with no money no shoes on their feet and their five children are some of
11:10
the have been the leading medical doctors in this country that have given and and given and given
11:17
and never asked for anything back and you know we look we look after we don't look after our own
11:23
own. We look after everybody. And we're not answerable to the acts of, you know, the
11:29
Israeli government. We have to be able to separate, you know, that's something
11:35
else, you know, when we can talk about that. I totally agree. But Katie, I mean
11:40
I think you have people who are deliberately creating the link, and frankly there's a queue of people in the inbox
11:45
already. It's the same, yes, it's you again, isn't it? It's the same usual suspects
11:49
making this about making this about Israel. Got nothing to do with Katie
11:54
I'm a 19-year-old pre-student and I was at a uni open day today when I found out
12:00
and I was terrified coming home. So I just wanted to call because I'm horrified
12:06
in the fact that it has to get to a point where people are hurt
12:10
and people are murdered because of their existence and their identity. And this could have been stopped months ago
12:18
with the first attacks and the first anti-Semitic remarks. But the government just thought that it would subside and took no action, and here we are
12:27
What is it that you want the government to do? I want them to acknowledge that anti-Semitism has become acceptable
12:36
and that it needs to stop, as the lady said before, with social media
12:41
and people commenting hate and provoking hate. Now, Rachel, it's very easy for me to say this. I'm not Jewish
12:48
But I think the government, and the Prime Minister in particular actually, has said that anti-Semitism is intolerable, should not be happening, cannot be allowed
13:00
So, and I think it's, oftentimes it's all very well for the government to say things and it is reassuring that senior members of the government have that same view as you
13:09
That will be reassuring to you at a thought, but what you want is to see something happen. Yes, but when people are committing these anti-Semitic attacks, they're getting released from prison
13:20
The person who was arrested recently, he only got bail. And there's no accountability for what's going on
13:30
And we're supposed to be OK with people in our community not being able to walk on their own street because they're going to get killed
13:39
And these are people's fathers. These are people's mothers. These are people of the community
13:46
And people think it's not going to happen to you and it's not going to happen to Christians and other people, but it will
13:53
You know, once they're done with the Jews, they'll move on to another group and it's not okay
13:57
Morel's in Barnet. Morel. Hello. Good afternoon, Tom. Hello. I wanted to back up what both my previous co-religionists said
14:06
I agree with both of them. being visibly Jewish I put my Star of David away today
14:11
because so many people have said to me you know, Morrell, you know, you're in danger
14:16
friends, neighbours, non-Jewish people I'm not doing that and I would like to thank the Iranian community in the UK
14:24
because after September, October the 7th they were the first ones to find out if I was okay
14:31
and they've done the same thing today they've come up to me, they've seen my Star of David
14:36
and they've done the same thing today and I would like to say you're wonderful
14:40
The Iranian destroyer in the UK are so supportive of the Jewish community in the majority, they're
14:46
absolutely wonderful. You not putting your Star of David away because you don want them to win Exactly I been wearing it visibly for over 60 years
15:01
Is this the first time you've thought about putting it away? Yes, because so many people are worried that the Star of David attracts people, which it does
15:09
It attracts the creatures. so in the last in the last couple of years what have you heard directed towards you about the
15:20
outward sign of your religious practice okay in the last couple of months before this it's been
15:27
all compliments i've been called a baby killer on the street and i've said i've killed as many
15:32
babies as you and some swear words i've had rubbish chucked at me you've had what sorry
15:39
rubbish chucked at me like um these kids they were only kids the second lot they were like
15:44
17 18 they were sitting next to me they said nothing when they were sitting there
15:48
they got on the bus they opened the window and they started to throw a load of rubbish at me
15:52
and this woman was sitting next to me and she said to me i can't believe that happened i said
15:57
i can but before that it'd been all compliments people have been singing hebrew songs to me
16:03
But in the last two or three months, you know, it's really, and I don't want words
16:09
I don't want words from the mayor. I don't want words from our prime minister. I really don't want saying I'm standing with you. It's getting worse
16:19
It is getting worse. I mean, I don't know that there's no objective fact that would show that you're wrong, Moral
16:25
I mean, it is the drumbeat of activity designed to create fear in the Jewish community specifically has been increasing, even in the last few weeks, that alone since October the 7th
16:37
Absolutely. Absolutely. You know, I think what I mean, I'm not scared. I've got to tell the truth. I'm angry
16:45
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's the British. You know, that's me. I'm British. I'm English. I have English anger
16:50
I'm just furious that I'm being targeted. I mean, the Jewish community has done a lot for this country
16:57
We really have. We've served in the forces in our thousands. Listen, listen, I slightly..
17:04
I don't like this, what you're doing, if I'm honest with you
17:08
You don't have to prove yourself as a community to anybody else
17:12
You don't have to say... You don't need to. You are a person, law-abiding person
17:18
going about your business who happens to be Jewish. Why on earth should a group of kids be chucking rubbish at you
17:24
or someone shout at you that you're a baby killer? It's ridiculous. I'm a baby killer
17:29
The language came out of my mouth. And I don't usually swear
17:33
I was just so shocked and angry. I'm not surprised. But then, Meryl, I mean, we've had people tear down posters
17:40
of the children who were taken hostage on October the 7th. I know
17:45
I don't... Where's that come from? I don't know. And that poor child, Kiffer, was murdered. He was murdered in captivity and they still tore his posters down
17:55
Mark Rowley, the boss of the Met, was giving an update about an hour or so ago confirming that the police were treating this as a terrorist attack
18:04
saying that the suspect had a history of violence and had a history of mental health issues and saying this
18:09
This is an awful attack today. It is completely understandable why Jewish Londoners feel afraid
18:15
That's why we're putting so much extra policing into these events and we're going to be looking at what more we can do over four, can't we
18:22
It's horrific. It's not surprising. The Jewish community have been calling out for, or we've been warning that this is going to happen, that this has been happening
18:34
When people call for globalising the Intifada, well congratulations, this is it
18:38
Bondi, London, Manchester, London again. again it's absolutely unbelievable and yet you know the government have let this occur they've
18:48
let people carry on calling for globalizing the intifada and let's be honest it's not a metaphorical
18:54
statement it's an action globalizing the intifada is simply and simply and purely calling for
19:01
the death and harassment of jews i've lived through one i know what it's like and it is
19:07
absolutely unbelievable and we are suffering now because of a result of inactivity and that's and
19:13
it's just a horrific time to be doing activity towards whom or what in in as much as nobody has
19:21
listened to what the community has been saying and the proof of the pudding is that the first
19:27
thing starmer has said not not not currently but with the previous attack was we will invest more
19:32
money into protecting our Jewish community well thank you very much indeed but that doesn't tackle
19:37
the root problem the root problem is where the hate is being taught it's the misinformation it's
19:44
the miscommunication and you have to sometimes deliberately sometimes deliberate I would agree
19:50
but you have to call her earlier what would you like the government to do I want the government
19:55
to do what they've been elected to do part of their responsibility is to protect their citizens
20:01
and they're not protecting me as a Jew in the UK. And I'm pretty certain, I speak for a lot of people
20:07
there's a mere 300,000 Jews in the UK. 300,000. People have got this perception that there's 10, 15 million
20:15
there's 300,000. That's tiny, yeah. It's tiny. And our kids have got to be protected
20:20
It's almost a norm that they need to be protected. And it's absolutely horrific
20:24
And then even, I mean, the proportion of that 300,000 who wear the Kippur
20:31
who wear the Star of David, who have the mezuzah on their front doors
20:35
You know, that's an even smaller proportion of the 300,000. So we're talking really tiny, tiny numbers in the context of the United Kingdom
20:41
I was driving, listening to James' show this morning when the news broke
20:47
And to give you an idea of who I am, I've lived through the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles
20:53
which was probably the last time that I was frightened. But after listening to the news today, I suddenly became frightened
21:01
And my first reaction was to ring my wife. And although we're just traditional Jews, we don't come across as Jewish
21:08
I rang her and said, don't go shopping at a Jewish deli
21:13
Stay away from any Jewish shops. Don't go to any Jewish areas to speak with any friends
21:18
We're actually frightened. Our daughter, who is married to the most wonderful non-Jewish gentleman, right
21:25
We rang her to tell her not to wear her Star of David
21:29
Take it off. I don't feel safe. And I don't blame the government
21:35
I don't hold Keir Starmer responsible or the police. I mean, it's very easy to protect a Jewish school or a Jewish synagogue
21:44
But where does it stop? Do they put armed police around Jewish shops, Jewish restaurants, Jewish clubs
21:52
It's an impossible task. And listening to the gentleman from Cheshire that is going to move to Israel on Monday
21:59
I can understand his feelings. I don't necessarily agree with him because in
22:05
Israel perhaps the police are protecting the whole of a Jewish nation which is a
22:10
little bit different what they're trying to do here. I think the important thing
22:14
is that when these people are caught for acts of terrorism they need to be held in prison not let out on bail pending a court date As we were hearing that the idea of creating a much much tougher offence for people who might take 500 quid from a person on Telegram who saying
22:38
could you go and firebomb this particular synagogue, please? That needs to be considered an act of aggression by a hostile state
22:45
and therefore far more punishable than just, quote, arson. Absolutely, and a message has to be sent out
22:53
I mean, these people who take that money, they're either short of money or very, very stupid
22:59
Or both. Or both. And the source, I don't know how Telegraph works or the dark web
23:05
but it needs to be tracked where all this is originating from
23:10
I mean, I'm close to 80. I've never felt scared in my environment before
23:18
But it's not only anti-Semitic. You hear the news with kids at school knifing each other
23:25
It's just that the country seems to be getting out of control and I'm now finding it quite disturbing
23:32
I mean, the idea of ringing up your daughter and saying, do not wear a symbol of your identity
23:39
Yeah. It's appalling in Britain. Yeah, it was a piece of jewellery
23:45
that my wife gave to our daughter a number of years ago, and she's always worn it with pride
23:51
even though she isn't the slightest bit Jewish, although born Jewish, she needs a very secular life
23:57
which is great, that's fine. We at home, we've always had a mezuzah
24:02
but never on the outer door. We have it inside the porch because we don't want to draw attention to ourselves
24:09
Whilst we're not ashamed of being Jewish, we don't need to announce it. We're shocked. We're not surprised
24:15
As I wrote, my brother lives in Golders Green, and he's a friend of the one gentleman who was stabbed
24:23
And so as soon as I heard that something had happened, I called my brother to see if he was OK because he lives around the corner
24:30
and I just about half an hour got a WhatsApp from him saying that it was one of his friends
24:35
We're really, really shocked and it's as close as that. Just to be clear in the show, sorry to interrupt
24:43
but your brother's friend was stabbed in this attack today. Yes, he lives around the corner from where the stabbing was
24:52
and as people get in contact, now I've been informed that he was a friend of his
24:57
and it's as close as that. It's like every member of the Jewish community
25:02
has been asking each other, is it somebody we know? Is it somebody from our community
25:06
Is it a relation? Is it a brother? Is it a friend? And, you know, reaching across the seas
25:14
to here in Israel, where I moved 40 years ago, it's very, very close to all of us
25:21
How is your brother doing? He's fine. I mean, they're very shocked, obviously
25:26
and when it hits close to home, and we're used to hearing Israel
25:30
when there's a terrorist attack here, everyone is waiting to hear is it somebody we love and is it somebody we know, and then you hear
25:38
who it is, and we're a close family, we're a close community
25:43
here in Israel and also in London, and everyone is connected and it must ask the question, what future is there to the Jewish community
25:52
in London and in England today? Moshe, I appreciate the call. Best wishes to your family. Thank you very much indeed
25:59
Can I just say that we feel the pain of this attack on our brethren extremely seriously here in Israel
26:07
An attack on any Jew is an attack on this country and we take it extremely seriously
26:14
And all of us here understand that this is not just a one-off, it is a pattern
26:21
the UK recorded around three and a half thousand anti-semitic attacks in 2025
26:29
which is one of the highest levels ever and as some of your guests have said we've gone
26:36
from words on marches calls for intifada to the demonization of Israel on mainstream media
26:44
And this is where it leads to verbal abuse, leads to violence on the streets of London, stabbings, arsons, attacks on synagogues
26:56
I must tell you, as a Jew, as a former Londoner, we feel this, all of us here in Israel, feel this extremely strongly
27:04
You talk about, you use the phrase there, demonisation of Israel. there is a difference between demonizing the creation of the state of Israel
27:14
and saying that the Israeli government is wrong to be doing what it's doing
27:18
Do you accept that there is a difference between those two things? Look, I would just ask you to think about the question which you just asked
27:26
The man that stabbed those Jews today, he didn't care about any of those issues you're talking about
27:35
He had hate for Jews in his heart. Now, this is a hatred we have recognised since time began
27:43
It's the world's oldest hatred. So today, people can think they can come up with excuses
27:50
But when Jews are attacked on Yom Kippur in Manchester... Mr. Mentor, it's not about coming up with excuses
27:55
That's not the purpose of the question, as you know. The purpose of the question is to make sure that there is a clear distinction
28:00
between people who don't think Israel should exist at all and people who legitimately criticise the actions of the Israeli government
28:09
You accept that those are two different things. The man that stabbed those Jews today hated Jews
28:19
It had nothing to do with the Israeli government. So I don't really understand what your question is
28:24
He hated Jews. When you shout out on the streets of London
28:29
intifada revolution that is the call for the killing of jews now this escalation is in real
28:37
time from words to intimidation to organized violence when you see ambulances burned and the
28:46
people stabbed for being jewish this is beyond anything about israel you're talking about a
28:53
problem which is not being taken seriously enough as our prime minister has said yes
28:58
by the British government. Can I try this a slightly different way
29:03
Do you think demonization of Israel includes criticism of the Israeli government
29:11
I don't understand what your question is. You can reframe it as many times as you want
29:16
The fellow that did this today, he hates Jews, as many people have hated Jews since time began
29:23
It's got nothing to do with Israel. This is a weakness, unfortunately. It's a sickness of Jew hatred
29:30
And the British government needs to do much, much more, as our prime minister has said today
29:36
Less words and thoughts and prayers and concern. And we're in this together, as I heard from Sadiq Khan and from your prime minister today
29:46
Action is what defeats anti-Semites, not words
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