The suspect in the Golders Green knife attack has appeared in court charged with attempted murder.
Essa Suleiman, 45, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place over the incident in Golders Green, the Metropolitan Police said.
Suleiman, of Camberwell, south London, was also charged with attempted murder of a “friend” in Great Dover Street in Southwark earlier the same day.
He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning and was remanded in custody.
Police tasered and arrested the suspect after the double stabbing which saw two Jewish men – Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Ben Baila, 76, named locally as Moshe Shine – taken to hospital.
The development comes as the Metropolitan Police said pro-Palestine marches will be reviewed after the UK terrorism threat level was raised to “severe”.
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Key Points
- More details about the Golders Green attack
- Attack suspect 'tried to murder friend'
- Sir Mark Rowley defends Golders Green officers
- Polanski apologises for Golders Green tweet
- Chief Rabbi: 'We are witnessing the normalisation of antisemitism'
- Met chief concerned about upcoming protests
Starmer calls Polanksi criticism of police 'disgraceful'
16:53 , Matt WattsSir Keir Starmer branded Green leader Zack Polanski “disgraceful” and “not fit to lead any political party” for reposting the criticism of the police officers involved in the Golders Green incident.
In an interview for BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, recorded before Mr Polanski’s apology, he said: “When I then see Zack Polanski come out and retweet or support a criticism of that, I think it’s disgraceful.”
Defending the actions of the police, he added: “You have to make a decision in that split moment according to the situation as you understand it to be.
“And for politicians to wade in, as Zack Polanski did, is disgraceful. He’s not fit to lead any political party. “
Commons Home Affairs Committee to examine threats against Jewish communities
16:07 , Tom PlaceThe Commons Home Affairs Committee will examine the threats which Jewish communities face later this month, its chairwoman has said.
At an evidence session on May 14, the committee will look at the adequacy of the authorities’ response to recent violence, along with wider drivers of antisemitism.
Conservative MP Dame Karen Bradley, the Home Affairs Committee chairwoman, said: “I am deeply concerned about the very real threats facing the Jewish community in Britain.
“This evidence session will explore the day-to-day reality of antisemitism and whether enough is being done to protect against its consequences.
“The session will also look at the wider societal context and ask if there are triggers for this sort of violent action that need to be addressed.”
A representative of the Community Security Trust (CST) is expected to attend the session, along with representatives from the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) and Antisemitism Policy Trust.
Polanski apologises for Golders Green tweet
15:42 , Tom PlaceGreen Party leader Zack Polanski has apologised for “sharing a tweet in haste” which accused police officers of repeatedly kicking the Golders Green stabbing suspect in the head after he had been incapacitated.
Mr Polanski released a statement on Friday afternoon, which said: “Everyone in leadership has a responsibility for lowering the temperature at a time of such tension, and I apologise for sharing a tweet in haste.
“Police responses to emergency situations such as these do need later reflection in the right forums, but I accept that social media is not the appropriate channel for doing so.
“I have invited Mark Rowley to meet with me to discuss the police response and the wider issues raised in his letter.”
Stop The War Coalition reject links to antisemitic attacks
14:39 , Tom PlaceOrganisers of pro-Palestine protests have said that attempts to connect a series of antisemitic attacks with their events are false.
The Stop The War Coalition said it had held a number of marches and meetings in recent months which had passed peacefully.
A statement said: “The Stop the War Coalition has been proud to be part of organising these mass marches in support of the people of Gaza and against the genocide of the Israeli government.
“Indeed, we have campaigned for justice for Palestine since our founding 25 years ago, because we recognise that this question is inextricably linked to the wars throughout the Middle East which continue today in Iran and Lebanon.
“We condemn unequivocally these attacks, as we do all forms of antisemitism and racism.
“No one should be attacked for their race or religion.”
The group said it would continue to peacefully protest and will go ahead with its next event in London on May 16.
CPS to use 'full force of law' to prosecute hate crimes
13:50 , Matt WattsThe director of public prosecutions has said the Crown Prosecution Service will use the “full force of the law” to prosecute hate crimes as he warned of a “deeply troubling rise in antisemitic incidents across the country”.
Stephen Parkinson said he recognised the “profound fear, distress and anger” that Jewish people were feeling following a spate of incidents in London in recent weeks, adding: “No-one should feel unsafe because of who they are or their faith.”
In a statement, he said: “Antisemitic hate crime is not only an attack on individuals — it is an attack on the values of respect, tolerance and the rule of law that underpin our society.
“Let me be clear: those who commit antisemitic crimes will be held accountable. The CPS will use the full force of the law to ensure those responsible are prosecuted robustly and swiftly, and justice is done.
“We are working closely with police partners to ensure that cases are built strongly from the outset and that perpetrators are brought before the courts swiftly. There is a strong public interest in taking a zero tolerance approach to these hate-infected crimes. Accordingly, where offences are proven to be motivated by hostility based on religion or ethnicity, we will make full use of the powers open to us to prosecute these as aggravated offences which attract longer sentences in court.
“We are engaging directly with Jewish communities to ensure their voices are heard and concerns addressed. To anyone who has experienced or witnessed antisemitic abuse or violence, I encourage you to report it to police. Your reports matter – they enable us to work with policing to take action and ensure that offenders face justice.”
More details about the Golders Green attack
13:06 , Tom PlaceThe court also heard further details about the attacks in Golders Green, in which Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, were both stabbed.
Prosecutor Emma Harraway said that Mr Rand had been “studying in the synagogue” before he was allegedly stabbed in the chest by Suleiman.
Setting out the allegations, the prosecutor said: “Mr Rand stumbled backwards and ran in the direction of the synagogue, chased by the defendant.
“Mr Rand realised his chest was bleeding and there was blood on his shirt. He suffered a puncture lung.”
The court then heard that Suleiman is accused of stabbing Mr Shine a short time later on Golders Green Road.
Ms Harraway said: “Mr Shine was waiting at the bus stop, and he was also wearing traditional Jewish clothing including a kippah.
“As Mr Shine adjusted his kippah Suleiman ran towards him and set upon him, launching a series of aggressive blows.”
Attack suspect 'tried to murder friend'
12:48 , Tom PlaceMore details have emerged regarding an earlier attack by the suspect in the Golders Greens stabbings.
As Essa Suleiman appeared in court, it was revealed that he has also been accused of attempting to murder a man he had known for around 20 years.
Ishmail Hussein, who prosecutor Emma Harraway said has know Suleiman for some time, was attacked at his home in Southwark in the hours before the Golders Green attacks.
The court heard that Suleiman is said to have called Mr Hussein’s phone several times before he was buzzed into his home at around 7.50am.
It is then alleged Suleiman was armed with a knife and “tried to stab Mr Hussein” in his upper body, but his friend “fended off the attack”.
Suleiman is then accused of travelling to Brent Cross underground station before going on to Golders Green.
Suspect appears in court charged with attempted murder
12:02 , Tom PlaceEssa Suleiman, the suspect in the Golders Green attacks, appeared in court this morning.
Suleiman, 45, has been charged with attempted murder after two Jewish men were stabbed in the attacks on Wednesday.
Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, both suffered serious injuries and were treated in hospital, with the Metropolitan Police declaring it a terrorist incident.
Suleiman has also been accused of attempting to murder Ishmail Hussein in an attack at Hussein's flat in Southwark, south London, earlier on Wednesday. It is reported that Hussein was somebody that Suleiman knew.
Suleiman appeared in the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today wearing a police-issued grey sweatshirt and trousers.
He appeared to have a bruising around his eyes, and stood to confirm his name and date of birth.
He has been remanded in custody, and his case has been sent to the Old Bailey where he will next appear on May 15 for a preliminary hearing.
Golders Green suspect remanded in custody
11:23 , Tom PlaceEssa Suleiman, 45, has been remanded in custody after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with attempted murder over the stabbings of two Jewish men in Golders Green, north London.
Suspect had been under care of mental health services
11:02 , Tom PlaceThe suspect in the stabbings in Golders Green had been under the care of South London and Maudsley Trust’s mental health services, according to reports from the Press Association.
A spokesperson for South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are aware of the police investigation taking place across London following the incident at Golders Green.
“This is an ongoing investigation and it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this time.”
'We saw the warning signs'
10:46 , Tom PlaceThe director of Public Affairs in the Jewish Leadership Council has said that the community is "reeling once again from another attack".
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Russell Langer said it's moving into a feeling of anger as "people have been warning about this".
Mr Langer said: "We saw the warning signs. At this point in time, I don't think there's any faith in the community that something like this isn't going to happen again.”
He added that the community now needs to see the "cost for antisemitism raised" and argued for long term heightened support from the police in Jewish communities.
Surrey enhance security after Golders Green attack
10:15 , Tom PlaceSurrey Cricket Club have increased security and bag checks at the Oval following the Golders Green knife attacks.
The incident contributed to the UK terrorism threat level being raised to “severe”, the second highest level on the scale and means the chance of terror attacks are considered “highly likely” by authorities.
The club has moved quickly to reflect the changing circumstances, with a club statement reading: “Surrey are in regular communication with the Met Police and will adjust our own security measures in line with the increased threat level. We want to ensure that all staff, spectators and players feel safe and secure at the Kia Oval and will take the action necessary to do so.
“Please note there will be additional security presence and heightened bag searches at this weekend’s Rothesay County Championship match with Sussex, so please allow additional time to enter the ground.”
Sir Mark Rowley: Prevent can be improved
09:56 , Tom PlaceSir Mark Rowley has said he is sure that the Government’s Prevent counter-extremism programme “can be improved further”.
In a statement on Thursday, the Metropolitan Police said the suspect in the double stabbing attack in Golders Green, north London, was referred to the Prevent programme in 2020.
Asked about whether he thinks the Prevent programme is working, Sir Mark Rowley told LBC: “There’s no diverting programme for any type of crime, whether it’s diverting people out of gangs or out of extremism, that will ever be 100% successful.
“It has a lot of successes. I’m sure there’s ways it can be improved further.”
Suspect arrives at court
09:40 , Tom PlaceA police van believed to be carrying Essa Suleiman has arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court.
Suleiman has been charged with attempted murder and police have declared a terrorist incident after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green on Wednesday.
Suleiman, a British national who was born in Somalia, was tasered and arrested at the scene
Chief Rabbi: 'We are witnessing the normalisation of antisemitism'
09:37 , Tom PlaceThe Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis has said there is deep concern and anguish in the Jewish community following the attack in Golders Green, but that he is proud of the community's "resilience, strength and fortitude".
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said that he has long called for "zero tolerance on antisemitism".
The chief rabbi says "anger is palpable" over the chanting of "globalise the intifada" during protest marches, a chant used by pro-Palestinian protesters to call for resistance against Israel.
"We are witnessing the normalisation of antisemitism and it has not been taken seriously enough,” he said.
Asked if protests scheduled for this weekend should be allowed to happen at all, he said that while free speech is an integral part of our society, “freedom must always be accompanied by responsibility, when freedom lends itself to irresponsible activity you have to draw the line somewhere.”
Met chief concerned about upcoming protests
09:16 , Tom PlaceMet Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has said he is “concerned” about the scale of upcoming protests in the capital after the attack in Golders Green.
He told LBC: “There’s some big marches planned for two weeks, tomorrow and the 16th.
“I’m sort of concerned about the scale of those in this context and we’re looking hard at what conditions and powers we should use in respect of those events.
“Protests can’t be banned, Parliament has made it clear, but they can’t be.
“What we can do – we can restrict how a march takes place and, in the most extreme circumstances – and it’s a very high bar – we can restrict it to a static event alone, and we’re looking at all possibilities and what’s appropriate in this circumstance.”
Asked about a temporary pause on demonstrations, he said: “That’s a matter of Parliament, that’s not within the law, I have no power to do that.
“If Parliament wants to do that then, of course, we would sort of execute on the decision they made.”
No response to request for funding for 300 additional officers
08:55 , Tom PlaceAlex Davies-Jones has declined to say when the Met Police would receive a response on its request for funding for 300 additional officers to protect Jewish communities.
Asked when the force would receive an answer, the victims minister did not provide a time, referring to existing plans to increase policing numbers across the country.
She said: “Discussions will be ongoing with the Home Secretary and I know that she is taking this extremely seriously.
“She was in Golders Green this week, she’s working with Sir Mark Rowley and she hears his calls for more officers, as she does across England and Wales.
“It’s important that we get it right and we get the effective resourcing where we need it.”
Sir Mark Rowley defends Golders Green officers
08:31 , Tom PlaceSir Mark Rowley has said the officers who arrested the Golders Green attack suspect were “shaken” after the intervention.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski retweeted an X post accusing the officers of “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head” when he was already incapacitated from being tasered.
Asked if the officers’ behaviour was “acceptable”, Sir Mark Rowley told LBC: “I sat down with the officers on Wednesday afternoon, a couple of hours after the attack, and you could still see they were shaken.
“They’d taken on a terrorist, and as that incident developed they were afraid, because he didn’t comply at all, even after being dropped to the floor by a taser, they were afraid that he might have an explosive device on him from the way he’s behaving, he didn’t in the end, and of course they used a lot of force.
“I’m not interested in politics but if somebody eminent, rather than some of the oddballs on social media, if someone eminent says something or does something which I see has a risk to undermining the confidence of my officers to act – because they need that sense of public support – they now need to intervene on that, and that’s what I did with that letter.”
He said in a letter to Mr Polanski he was “disappointed”, adding that the post was “inaccurate and misinformed”.
Asked if it was “necessary” to kick the man in the head during the arrest, Sir Mark Rowley said of the officers: “They’re using the force that they seem (sic) necessary.
“Unless you’ve been in that moment where you’re scared stiff and you’re confronting somebody so dangerous, it’s hard to put yourself in that situation.
“They’re desperately concerned about stunning him and sort of neutralising him.”
Davies-Jones: 'We need direct action'
08:21 , Tom PlaceA Home Office minister said she agreed with the Metropolitan Police commissioner that there was a growing “pandemic” of antisemitism in the UK.
Victims’ minister Alex Davies-Jones told Times Radio: “I think there is a current level of antisemitism in the country that is totally intolerable and we need direct action.
“What we saw happen in Golders Green over the past few days, and indeed over the past few months, whether that be the horrific attack at the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester, the ambulance attack that we had recently in London.
“These are a pattern and it is intolerable, and the Government is taking action to keep not just the Jewish community safe, but all of us safe.”
Ms Davies-Jones added that pro-Palestine marches have been “hijacked” by people looking to cause “division and hatred”.
She said: “I think we have seen antisemitic activity in these marches. That is a fact.
“We have seen chants of death, calls for global intifada, and that is wrong.
“But people do have the right to protest the actions of Israel, if that’s what they deem fit. And I think it’s really, really important here that we recognise that not everybody on these marches is antisemitic.
“They have been hijacked by certain individuals who are seeking to cause division and hatred in our country, and are using these marches and are using these positions to cause fear and intimidation.”
Sir Mark Rowley: 'British Jews should be treated like any other British citizen”
08:10 , Tom PlaceThe UK terrorism threat level was raised to “severe” by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre on Thursday, meaning a terror attack is “highly likely”.
Sir Mark Rowley has called for people to reflect on the levels of antisemitic attitudes in society after the stabbings of two Jewish men in north London on Wednesday.
Asked on LBC about what people should do in reaction to the threat level being raised, he said: “It’s two things. There’s the practical about being alert, so don’t be alarmed, don’t be afraid, but be alert and help us by giving us information.
“Secondly, I think everybody should reflect on the levels of antisemitic attitudes in society and we should all call it out, because these are British Jews.
“Israeli foreign policy, however much you may like or dislike that, that is not relevant in terms of attitudes to British Jews, who should be treated like any other British citizen.”
Sir Mark Rowley: 'Pandemic of antisemitism in society'
08:01 , Tom PlaceMetropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has been speaking to the media this morning.
Sir Mark Rowley said he is “very concerned” about the sustainability of the police’s current approach to protecting Jewish communities in London following the double stabbing in Golders Green.
He told Times Radio: “I’m very concerned about the sustainability of our current approach, which is based on drafting resources from across London to augment the local teams.
“The horrific attack took place on Wednesday. That evening, I put a proposal into Government about what it would take to be able to sustain this with a dedicated, enhanced neighbourhood policing presence focused on Jewish communities and some extra specialist resources, such as more firearms officers to support them, (the) best parts of 300 extra officers that we’re looking at, and I hope we get some resolution on the funding conversations with Government imminently.
“It’s good they’ve made some interim funding announcements, but to be able to recruit and sustain that, I need some urgent updates.”
He also warned “we’re facing a sort of building, sort of pandemic of antisemitism in society”, adding “we need work done upstream to tackle those attitudes in society, which are far too prevalent”.
Suspect set to appear in court this morning
07:49 , Tom PlaceEssa Suleiman will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning to face two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place following the Golders Green attack.
The Met has confirmed that Suleiman, 45, has also been charged with attempted murder in relation to a separate incident on the same date in Great Dover Street, Southwark.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “Our thoughts remain with the victims involved and specialist officers continue to provide them with support as their recovery continues.
“We are determined to get justice for the victims and now that a person has been charged, I would urge everyone to avoid any further speculation in relation to this case so that justice can run its course.”
