A 37-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a series of “revolting” antisemitic incidents that targeted seven Jewish premises in Barnet, north London, over recent weeks. The Metropolitan Police announced the arrest on September 12, 2025, following substantial CCTV inquiries, marking a significant development in their investigation into the religiously motivated criminal damage. The incidents, which police have been treating as hate crimes, involved substances, understood to be bodily fluids, being smeared on four synagogues and a private residence, while liquid was also thrown towards a school and a car.
String of Attacks Shakes North London Community
The disturbing wave of attacks began on August 15, 2025, with a further six incidents reported between early September and the morning of September 11. The targets, all located in the Golders Green area of Barnet, included multiple synagogues, a private home, and a Jewish school. Specifically, police received reports of religiously motivated criminal damage on August 15, September 2-4, September 7-8, September 8 (liquid at a school), September 9 (substance on a synagogue), and September 11 (substance on another synagogue). The repeated defilement of these sacred and community spaces has caused significant distress to the local Jewish population.
Police Investigation and Public Appeal
Detective Superintendent Katie Harber, leading the investigation for the North West Command, described the acts as “revolting and appalling” and issued an urgent appeal to the public for assistance in identifying the perpetrator. Extensive CCTV inquiries by police and local partners established that the same suspect was likely responsible for all seven offenses. Detectives and neighborhood officers worked “at pace” to identify and apprehend the individual. The police have been actively engaging with the local Jewish community, collaborating with organizations like Shomrim and the Community Security Trust (CST), to provide reassurance and support. The CST noted that the “extreme defilement” of Jewish locations was “utterly abhorrent and deeply distressing.”
Arrest Brings Significant Development
On September 12, 2025, the investigation entered a new phase with the arrest of a 37-year-old man in the Hendon area of north London. He was taken into custody on suspicion of religiously motivated criminal damage in connection with all seven offenses. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams stated that the arrest was a “significant development” and confirmed that police remain in close contact with the local Jewish community. While no arrests had been made prior to this, the police released CCTV images and footage of the man they were seeking, urging anyone with information to contact the Met Police or Crimestoppers. This news offers a measure of relief to a community that has felt anxious and vulnerable.
Broader Context of Antisemitism
These incidents occur against a backdrop of rising antisemitic incidents across the United Kingdom. The Community Security Trust (CST) reported 1,521 antisemitic incidents in the first six months of 2025, a figure that, while down from the record high of the previous year, remains the second-highest on record since the charity began monitoring antisemitism in Britain in 1984. The spike in incidents has been particularly noted since October 7, 2023. Local leaders, including Barnet Council leader Barry Rawlings, have strongly condemned the attacks, stating there is “no room for race hate or religiously motivated persecution in Barnet.”
The investigation continues, and police are maintaining an increased presence in the affected areas to provide reassurance. The arrest marks a crucial step towards justice for the victims and the wider community, underscoring the commitment to not tolerate such acts of hatred.
