Two men have been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set on fire in north London.
The vehicles, operated by Hatzola, were destroyed in the early hours of Monday in Golders Green. Police are treating the incident as an antisemitic hate crime.
A 47-year-old man was arrested in north-west London on Wednesday morning, while a 45-year-old suspect was picked up in central London. Both are British nationals, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Borough Commander Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart described the arrests as “a significant development” but noted that investigators are still searching for a third suspect captured on CCTV.
“The investigation is moving at pace,” he said, adding that police have increased security measures to reassure the Jewish community. “We take their safety incredibly seriously and will continue to do everything we can in the lead-up to Passover and beyond.”
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, Helen Flanagan, also described the arrests as an “important breakthrough,” but confirmed that footage suggests at least three individuals were involved.
“We recognise the community will remain concerned,” she said. “Our investigation is ongoing, and we are working to identify and arrest anyone connected to the attack.”
CCTV footage reviewed by the BBC shows three men approaching a synagogue in February, in what members of the Jewish community believe may have been a reconnaissance attempt ahead of the attack. In the footage, one of the men is seen trying a locked door before claiming they were searching for a nearby mosque.
Synagogue president Damon Hoff said he believes the site was surveilled before the ambulances parked there were targeted.
Police are also examining a possible link to an Islamist group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, which has claimed responsibility for similar incidents across Europe. The claim, however, remains unverified.
While the case has not been formally classified as terrorism, it is being led by counter-terrorism officers.
Hatzola provides free emergency medical response and hospital transport to communities across north London, regardless of faith.
The Community Security Trust welcomed the arrests, thanking officers for their efforts to hold those responsible to account.
“While this development marks an important step forward, we understand that the community will still have concerns,” officials said, adding that security operations in the area would remain at a heightened level.
Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams outlined additional safety measures, including the deployment of officers to guard key locations and increased, highly visible armed patrols. He stressed that these steps are precautionary and not linked to any specific threat.
Police have also been conducting searches at two London addresses connected to the arrests.
Although no injuries were reported, several explosions—believed to have been caused by gas canisters inside the ambulances—shattered windows in nearby buildings and forced some residents to evacuate.
Residents described being woken in the middle of the night by loud blasts and said the incident has left many feeling unsettled.
The attack caused significant damage to Hatzola, with three of its five ambulances completely destroyed and another badly damaged.
In response, the government has supplied four replacement ambulances, which were delivered on Tuesday. Meanwhile, more than £1.3 million has been raised through multiple GoFundMe campaigns to support the service.
Hatzola chairman Shloimie Richman said the donations will go towards establishing a new, secure headquarters in the aftermath of the attack.