A northwest London synagogue was hit by an apparent petrol bomb attack overnight, prompting warnings from Jewish leaders that a pattern of arsons is accelerating. Police on patrol around midnight Sunday found a broken window and smoke inside Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, the BBC reports. Officers said a bottle containing a suspected accelerant had been thrown into a room; the London Fire Brigade checked the building and confirmed there was no ongoing fire risk. No injuries were reported, and damage was limited to minor smoke effects in an internal medical room.
British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis posted on social media that it was the third Jewish site targeted in London in less than a week; the others were at a synagogue in Finchley and an attempted attack at the former Jewish Futures building in Hendon on Friday night. He described the incidents as part of "a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation" against UK Jews and warned that the situation was becoming more dangerous. Counterterrorism officers are investigating recent attacks on a Persian-language media outlet and on ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in Golders Green, which are being treated as potential antisemitic hate crimes.
Police patrols have been increased in areas with large Jewish populations, per CBS News. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the Kenton attack "abhorrent" and said assaults on Jewish targets were "attacks on Britain." A police official said a group claimed responsibility online; investigators are looking into whether it's connected to Iran, per the AP. The Metropolitan Police announced officers will use use of stop-and-search powers and counterterrorism units will be deployed across northwest London.
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
