Who burns ambulances? Shaken but unbowed, Golders Green looks for answers
SPECIAL REPORT: Residents, volunteers and leaders speak to Jewish News after Hatzola ambulances were set alight overnight
By mid-morning, Golders Green felt unusually still.
Police tape cut across the street where four Hatzola ambulances had been burned overnight. Behind it, small groups of local residents – many from the area’s Orthodox Jewish community – stood watching quietly. Some had come straight out from home, others lingered after school drop-offs, trying to take in what had happened.
Among those gathered were also members of the Iranian community, some holding flags.
Vahid Abazari, a supporter of the Iranian monarchy, told Jewish News he came to the scene to show solidarity.
“We came here straight away to find out what’s going on,” he said. “We’ve suffered from terrorism for many years… so we wanted to come and support.”
Television crews and photographers clustered near the scene, while firefighters and emergency workers moved in and out. A red London Fire Brigade vehicle remains parked nearby, its presence a reminder of the night before.
“I woke up at around seven,” one local man told Jewish News. “I wasn’t shocked that something happened… but when I saw what it was – ambulances – that surprised me.
“It’s a service for everyone. Jews, non-Jews… anyone in the community.”
Around him, conversations drifted between neighbours – some speaking quietly, others more openly frustrated. For many, the shock was less about the fact of an incident and more about what had been targeted.
Simon Tobi, a local resident who is standing as a candidate in the upcoming Barnet council elections, said he felt “shock… very upset that it could happen, especially to four ambulances.”
“It’s an absolute disgrace,” he said. “These people need to be tracked down and punished for what they’ve done.”
He added that, if elected, he would push for closer cooperation with authorities and stronger local safety measures, saying: “We want to make our streets safe again.”
Others spoke about a broader sense of insecurity.
“Why should we have to live like this?” one man said. “Why should our kids have to go to school worried?”
Nearby, another resident described it as “just a different level”, adding: “It feels like things are happening more and more, and nothing changes.”
As the morning went on, more people arrived – stopping briefly at the cordon, exchanging a few words, then moving on. Some checked their phones for updates, others simply stood and watched.
Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said the investigation is being led by counter-terrorism police, with officers examining all possible lines of enquiry.
“While this has not been declared a terrorist incident at this stage, the investigation is now being led by Counter Terrorism Policing with all the specialist expertise they bring,” he said. “All lines of inquiry remain open.”
Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, told Jewish News: “Burning ambulances is as low as it gets.
“But what it shows is the reality we’re living in. The question is what’s done about it.”
Standing close to the cordon, the Chief Rabbi struck a resolute tone.
“How low can you get?” he said. “This is a volunteer ambulance service whose only purpose is to save lives.
“It is a revealed miracle that nobody was hurt.
“But our response will be strength and resilience. They will be back in service today. Nothing is going to stop us.”
The street itself – just off a busy high street lined with kosher shops and bakeries – remained largely unchanged. But for those gathered there, the mood was unmistakable.
Shaken, frustrated, and still processing what had happened overnight.
Hatzola, many said, will not stop.
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