Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 May 2026

Letter from the Metropolitan Police Commissioner relating to the Committee's evidence session on Responses to antisemitism 13.05.2026

Summary

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley writes to the Home Affairs Committee ahead of an evidence session on antisemitism, detailing a six-week surge in attacks on Jewish Londoners, including a terrorist attack in Golders Green on 29 April. The Met reports 35 arrests across 11 counter-terrorism investigations, deployment of over 1,000 additional officer shifts weekly to north west London, and an urgent funding proposal to Government for 300 permanent additional officers to establish a sustainable long-term protection model.

Key findings

Between 23 March and 29 April 2026, Jewish Londoners faced sustained attacks including the stabbing of two British Jews in a terrorist attack in Golders Green on 29 April, following a Hatzola ambulance attack on 23 March and 9 arson/attempted arson incidents.
Counter Terrorism Policing is leading 11 investigations resulting in 35 arrests, 10 charged, and 1 conviction; claims of responsibility attributed to Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, a suspected Iranian-linked group, are being investigated.
The Met has surged over 1,000 additional officer shifts weekly into north west London and other vulnerable locations, resulting in arrests of more than 70 individuals for antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crimes.
Commissioner submitted urgent proposal to Government for 300 additional permanent officers; Home Office provided £18 million one-off funding enabling recruitment of 100 officers to form a new Community Protection Team, initially focused on Golders Green and Stamford Hill.
Approximately 30 large Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstrations since 7 October 2023 have caused significant anxiety for Jewish Londoners; Met plans to apply Public Order Act conditions with new emphasis on protest organisers' responsibilities.

Tone

Critical

Topics

policingcounter-terrorismhate-crimepublic-ordercommunity-security

Key actors

Sir Mark Rowley QPM, Dame Karen Bradley DBE MP, Metropolitan Police Service, Community Security Trust, Shomrim, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, Mayor of London, Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Notable line

“British Jews are not currently safe in their capital city. This is unacceptable.”

Key Quotes

“British Jews are not currently safe in their capital city. This is unacceptable.”
— Sir Mark Rowley QPM · Opening assessment of the security situation

“It is utterly unacceptable that Jewish communities in London, and more broadly across the country, are living in fear and are unsafe because of their faith or identity.”
— Sir Mark Rowley QPM · Describing the impact of sustained antisemitic hate crime over 2.5 years

“We are aware that public claims of responsibility for a number of the attacks have been made by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-lslamia, a suspected Iranian-linked group.”
— Sir Mark Rowley QPM · Investigative update on attack motivations

“It is not sustainable, or operationally effective, to rely indefinitely on overtime or the redeployment of officers from across London.”
— Sir Mark Rowley QPM · Justifying the need for permanent additional officers

“British Jews now appear on the hate list of every major extremist movement, from the extreme right to Islamist terrorism, the extreme left and hostile states.”
— Sir Mark Rowley QPM · Describing the compounded threat facing Jewish communities

“Policing has a vital role to play, but we inevitably deal with the symptoms: hate crime, arson, intimidation and terror plots. Tackling the causes requires wider action.”
— Sir Mark Rowley QPM · Acknowledging limits of policing response alone

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗