April 2026
Two People Stabbed in Apparent Terror Attack in Golders Green
On Wednesday 29 April, two Jewish men 34-year-old Shloime Rand and 76 year-old Moshe Shine - were stabbed in Golders Green, an area of London known for its large Jewish population. Prior to these two stabbings, the assailant attacked a Muslim man in Southwark, though there has been little reporting by the media on this third victim. Police are currently treating the stabbings of the two victims in Golders Green as a terror attack. The 45 year-old suspect was apprehended near the scene whilst looking for more targets and attempting to attack police officers. Authorities report that he has a history of serious violence and mental health issues.
The BBC reports that the suspect had previously been referred to the government’s counter-extremism programme, Prevent. Earlier, the government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, stated that attacks on Jews constitute “the biggest national security emergency” in almost a decade.
This is the second attack in a matter of weeks to take place in Golders Green, following an arson attack on ambulances operated by a local Jewish charity. Many members of the community have expressed anger, fear, and frustration that more is not being done to address the rise in antisemitism and violence against Jewish communities. In response, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has committed £25 million to increase security around synagogues, schools, and community centres. However, some view this as reactive rather than preventative - akin to placing a plaster over a wound.
A Jewish man speaking to the BBC near the site of the stabbing said:
The UK government is not hospitable for the Jewish community. They say they are, but they do nothing. I don’t feel safe walking down Golders Green High Street, where I’ve lived for years. This country is finished for Jews - people will leave to go to Israel. If my wife said she would move, I would move today. I keep begging her. In the last year, 80% of my friends have moved. Since the 7 October [attack on Israel], this country has gone mental. You only have to look at the pro-Palestinian rallies with over a million people gathering.
Some commentators have linked the rise in antisemitism and the recent stabbing to growing pro-Palestine activism, including large-scale demonstrations. Others have taken to social media to criticise public figures such as Owen Jones and Zack Polanski - both vocal critics of the Israeli government - for expressing solidarity with the Jewish community, accusing them of hypocrisy and, in some cases, assigning them indirect responsibility for such attacks.
Epsom Unrest
In the early hours of 11 April, a young woman was reportedly raped outside Epsom Methodist Church by a group of men. No suspects have been named, which authorities attribute to insufficient evidence and an inconsistency in the facts reported.
This lack of information has fuelled frustration among some members of the local community, with speculation emerging that the absence of named suspects is due to their alleged status as immigrants or asylum seekers rather than evidentiary limitations. The town has since seen two protests, with demonstrators demanding information about the ethnicity of the perpetrators. Following a second protest on Monday 21 April, four individuals were arrested for violent disorder. Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend described the behaviour as “mindless” and “shameful.” She also noted that many attendees were not local residents but had travelled from elsewhere to incite hate and cause unrest.
These developments are reminiscent of the protests that spread across the UK in the summer of 2024 following a series of stabbings carried out by Axel Rudakubana at a children’s party, in which three children were killed and ten further people injured, including six children. When police initially declined to disclose details about the perpetrator, online speculation quickly escalated, including claims that authorities were protecting an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK via a “small boat.” Police later clarified that the perpetrator had been born and raised in the UK, after which public attention shifted to his presumed religion - incorrectly, in many cases, and which led to attacks on mosques, Muslim people, and their properties and possessions.
These incidents point to a concerning shift in public discourse, in which demands for information about a suspect’s ethnicity or religion are increasingly framed as legitimate, and where police face pressure to disclose such details to prevent civil unrest. In parallel, there has been a noticeable increase in calls for deportation when individuals from ethnic or religious minorities commit crimes, rather than a focus on due legal process.
Some commentators have criticised the police response in Epsom, questioning the use of riot control measures against what they describe as a protest composed largely of “mostly white” individuals protesting a serious crime. Among them is Spectator writer Brendan O’Neill.
Police have stated that they will be closing the case due to insufficient evidence, stating that they are “confident there was no offence.” After a “thorough investigation” the police revealed it became clear that the woman in her early 20s had suffered a head injury following a night out, which led to her making a confused report.
Unite the Kingdom Rally and Valentina Gomez
“Unite the Kingdom” is a rally organised by far-right, anti-Islam and anti-immigration activist Stephen Lennon-Yaxley, more commonly known as Tommy Robinson. Yaxley has a well-documented history of organising demonstrations that have, at times, escalated into violence and have been widely criticised for targeting ethnic and religious minorities, particularly Muslim communities.
The first Unite the Kingdom rally, held in summer 2025, was one of the largest right-wing gatherings in recent years and saw incidents of violence and attacks on minority-owned property. Elon Musk participated virtually as a speaker, drawing criticism for engaging in British political discourse and enflaming tensions. Notably, he stated that the British public would need to “fight back or die” in response to migration - remarks widely condemned.
For the upcoming rally, scheduled for May 2026, Republican candidate for Texas Valentina Gomez has been announced as a guest speaker. Gomez has gained notoriety for provocative public actions, including burning the Qur’an, as well as for repeated inflammatory statements about Muslims and ethnic minorities.
Although such speech may fall under protected expression in the United States, it would likely meet the threshold for hate speech under UK law. Gomez’s visa was initially approved by UK authorities, prompting widespread backlash, before being revoked.
In response, Gomez posted a video on social media claiming she had been “banned” from the UK by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, whom she referred to as a “dirty Pakistani Muslim,” arguing that the reason she had been refused entry is because she was not travelling “to rape little girls.” She further stated that, having been unable to fly, she would consider travelling by boat and expect to be accommodated in a luxury hotel - a comment widely interpreted as mocking asylum policies.
Attempted Arson Attack at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow
A series of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in north-west London has prompted renewed warnings about escalating threats to the community. The latest incident occurred at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, where an object containing an accelerant was reportedly thrown through a window overnight, causing minor damage but no injuries. Counter-terrorism police are investigating whether the attacks are connected, with particular focus on a group that has claimed responsibility online for targeting Jewish sites across Europe.
Senior officers have indicated that the group may have links to Iran, specifically through the use of criminal proxies - individuals allegedly paid to carry out acts of violence with little direct ideological affiliation. Authorities have stressed that, if identified, those responsible could face prosecution under national security legislation, carrying severe penalties.
Although physical damage in the most recent attack was limited, the cumulative effect of repeated incidents has contributed to growing concern within the Jewish community, particularly in areas already impacted by recent violence.
Concerns Over Vetting of Reform UK Candidates in Greater Manchester
Several Reform UK candidates and campaigners in Greater Manchester - an area where the party is expected to make electoral gains - have faced allegations of sharing xenophobic, Islamophobic, or antisemitic content online, as well as promoting conspiracy theories relating to COVID-19 and vaccination programmes.
An investigation by the Manchester Evening News highlighted activity by Dave Pinfold, election agent for Reform candidate Peter Marsh (Edgeley). Pinfold is reported to have shared posts describing “Allah as Satan,” calling for the closure of mosques in the UK, and resharing imagery widely regarded as inflammatory.
Responding to the controversy, Pinfold stated:
I did mention to the candidate that some of the social media posts I’ve shared were controversial. I asked if I needed to go through vetting but was told it wasn’t needed because I’m an agent. The thing I’ll say is they’re not my posts; they’re shared from accounts that I follow. […] We have freedom of speech, and in hardline Islamic countries Christians are not allowed to practise their religion—that’s the point I would make.
Leo Fruhman, Reform candidate for Mill Hill in Barnet has also recently been exposed for Islamophobic and hateful views shared on Twitter/X under an anonymous account by the name of Johnny Lawrence.
These are not isolated cases. A number of similar incidents involving Reform candidates and affiliates have emerged in recent months, suggesting serious gaps in vetting procedures.
Man Charged in Religiously Motivated Rape Attack
John Ashby, 32, of no fixed address, followed a Sikh woman to her home after she disembarked from a bus in October 2025. At her residence, he raped the victim while subjecting her to Islamophobic abuse, having incorrectly assumed she was Muslim. During a police interview, when shown a photograph of the victim, Ashby reportedly asked why she was not wearing a hijab. The attack has contributed to heightened fear within South Asian communities.
On 24 April, Ashby was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 14 years. The judge described him as a “deeply unpleasant racist and Islamophobe.”
Shaista Gohir, chair of the Muslim Women’s Network, said that this “horrific case exemplifies the ways in which religious hatred is often racialised, with victims being targeted based on perceptions of their appearance, race, ethnicity, or clothing.”
Six Men Jailed in Bolton Grooming Gang Case
Six members of a grooming gang - part of a wider group of ten men - have been jailed for offences committed between 2016 and 2018 in Bolton, involving the rape and abuse of multiple victims aged between 13 and 15.
Sentences varied significantly. Elliot Turner, 36, received a two-year sentence for sexual activity with a minor, while Jack Poulson, 31, was sentenced to 17 years. The ringleader, Ashley Darbyshire, 28, of Westhoughton, pleaded guilty to 19 offences, including multiple counts of rape involving five victims and was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.