Starmer calls on nation to 'open their eyes to Jewish pain' after Golders Green terror attack

Keir Starmer has called on people to "open their eyes to Jewish pain" in the wake of the Golders Green terror attack, and accused anyone marching alongside supporters of Hamas of "venerating the murder of Jews".

The prime minister made his strongest ever remarks on antisemitism after visiting the area of the attacks for a meeting with emergency workers and community leaders. The prime minister's presence was greeted by heckling from Stop the Hate protestors, a group campaigning against antisemitism, with one branding him a "traitor" for failing to keep Jews safe.

In a statement in Downing Street, Starmer said new powers were needed to protect the Jewish community after the stabbing attack, which was "not a one-off". Two Jewish men were hospitalised with knife wounds.

"Antisemitism is an old, old hatred, history shows that the roots are deep, and if you turn away, it grows back," he said. "Yet, far too many people in this country diminish it. They either don't see it or they don't want to see it."

He strongly criticised people who march alongside supporters of Hamas without calling it out. However, the government has stopped short of endorsing the idea of a pause on pro-Palestine marches, which has been suggested by Jonathan Hall, the independent reviewer on terrorism.

The suspect arrested by police over the Golders Green stabbing attacks is Essa Suleiman, aged 45. Suleiman was born in February 1981, is of Somali heritage, and is understood to have come to Britain as a child. He is described as a British national and the Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says the suspect, whom he did not name, has a history of "serious violence" and mental health issues.

The incident is being treated as terrorism and police have been in discussions about the case with lawyers at the Crown Prosecution Service.

Tory former prime minister Theresa May said she agreed with chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis's warning that "words of condemnation are no longer sufficient" after the north London double stabbing. May wrote on X: "Yesterday's attack in Golders Green, and the escalating attacks of recent months, have shown, beyond doubt, that we must do more to protect our Jewish community."

Keir Starmer held a roundtable with first responders and leaders from Hatzola as well as Shomrim, a volunteer Jewish security group. He was joined by home secretary Shabana Mahmood and Sarah Sackman, MP for Finchley and Golders Green, as well Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley.

London mayor Sadiq Khan has said that "Jewish Londoners understandably and rightly want to see more action, not words." In a statement on social media, the London mayor said that the Metropolitan police has surged its policing presence in Barnet over the last four weeks, with plans in place to deploy additional policing over the next month.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who visited Golders Green after the attack yesterday, said the community there does not feel the government is doing enough to protect Jewish people. "You could feel the fear that was on the streets," she told BBC Radio London.

John Mann, the government's independent adviser on antisemitism, said British Jews are at "breaking point" and feel they can no longer live safely in the UK. "Don't forget, everyone in the Jewish community is fleeing from somewhere," the Labour peer told Sky News.

Jonathan Hall, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has called for a pause in pro-Palestinian protests where "public demonisation and hatred is incubated" in response to the Golders Green stabbings, arguing that "demonisation of Jews and Israels and Zionists will lead to a terrorist attack". The barrister acknowledged that the motivation of the 45-year-old suspect had yet to be established, but said that he believed there was a "social responsibility" to reduce the risk of attacks on the Jewish community, and said that antisemitism represented "a national security emergency".

Several of the UK's leading imams have come together to "utterly condemn" the Golders Green attack. The leaders, including the chief Iman of Scotland, Sayed Razawi, alongside Jewish leaders signed the Drumlanrig Accords last year, which aims to strengthen Jewish-Muslim relationships in the UK.