Two teenagers arrested over suspected arson attack at London synagogue after 'bottle of accelerant' thrown
An attempted arson attack on Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow was the fourth antisemitic arson attack on the Jewish community in North London in less than a month.
Two teenagers have been arrested after an attempted arson attack at a London synagogue where a "bottle of accelerant" was thrown through a window.
Listen to this article
Matt Jukes, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, confirmed two men, aged 18 and 17, had been arrested in connection with the arson attack at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow over the weekend.
The Community Security Trust (CST) said that minor smoke damage to an internal room was caused but said there were no injuries or significant structural damage
A “bottle with some sort of accelerant had been thrown through the window” at midnight on Sunday and smoke was seen inside a room, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson previously said.
Read more: It’s an epidemic of anti-Jewish hate, warns head of attacked synagogue’s charity
Read more: Starmer faces Commons showdown over Mandelson vetting scandal
Mr Jukes said: "I’m really pleased to say that overnight, we have news of two arrests in relation to that incident.
"We’ve made over the last weeks, 15 arrests in relation to a series of six incidents that have targeted Jewish premises, the Jewish-led ambulance service and a Persian media organisation."
The building is close to a school and children’s playground, and police were seen searching a black SUV nearby on Sunday morning.
A large cordon was in place and a forensics officer, fire investigation dogs and several plainclothes officers were working at the scene.
One marked and about five unmarked police cars were outside the place of worship.
A spokesman from the Met Police said over the weekend: “At around midnight on Sunday, 19 April officers on deterrence and reassurance patrols following a series of incidents in north west London noticed damage to a window of the Kenton United Synagogue in Shaftesbury Avenue, Harrow.
“On further inspection they saw smoke inside a room and evidence that a bottle with some sort of accelerant had been thrown through the window."
They added that the London Fire Brigade was called, and firefighters have searched the building to confirm that there was no further fire risk.
“The incident is being treated as arson and an investigation is underway led by Counter Terrorism Policing London, supported by local officers.”
A spokesperson for CST said: “We are aware of another attempted arson, this time targeting a synagogue in north London, following similar recent incidents targeting the Jewish community in Finchley, Golders Green and Hendon.
“We want to thank the Met Police and London Fire Brigade for responding quickly and for all they are doing to protect the Jewish community during this unprecedented period.
“We are supporting the affected location and are working closely with the police as they investigate and seek to identify those responsible.”
Sir Keir Starmer said he was "appalled" at the recent spate of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in north London, adding: “We are increasing visible policing and those responsible will be found and brought to justice.”
This comes hours after the Metropolitan Police deployed extra resources to parts of north-west London as it treated an attempted arson on Friday night as an antisemitic hate crime.
Counter Terrorism Policing London is leading the investigation into the incident in Hendon, Barnet, as well as probes into other attacks because of the “similar circumstances and online claims of responsibility”, the Met said.
A man had been spotted approaching a row of Hendon shops carrying a plastic bag later found to contain three bottles of fluid, the force added.
He placed the bag by a building before lighting the items inside and fleeing the scene when they failed to fully ignite, according to police.
The former Jewish Futures building sustained minor damage to its shopfront with no injuries reported.
On Wednesday, bottles, one thought to contain petrol, were placed near Finchley Reform Synagogue in Fallow Court Avenue, Finchley.
Officers said two people, who were wearing dark clothing and balaclavas, were seen approaching the synagogue just after midnight.