British police arrest two for attempted arson of London synagogue

British police on Wednesday arrested two unnamed individuals in connection with an attempted arson attack on a synagogue in north London, in the latest incident involving the capital's Jewish community.

A 47-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man are in custody, the police said, after being arrested on suspicion of arson endangering life.

British police, including specialist counter-terrorism officers, earlier launched an investigation after the attempted attack on Wednesday, which is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime.

Two suspects wearing dark clothing and balaclavas threw two bottles, suspected of containing petrol, and a brick at the synagogue in Finchley shortly after midnight on Wednesday, police said. Neither bottle ignited and there was no damage or any injuries.

However, the attempted arson follows other incidents that targeted Britain's Jewish populace. Last month, four ambulances belonging to the Jewish volunteer emergency service Hatzola were torched while they were parked near a synagogue in the Golders Green area of north London.

"We are aware of the significant concern that this incident will cause in the community, particularly in the wake of the arson attack in Golders Green last month," said Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams.

Local member of parliament Sarah Sackman said she refused to accept such incidents becoming "the new normal".

"This shocking attempt to harm a local synagogue follows a series of alarming attacks on the Jewish community in Finchley and Golders Green," she said in a statement.

"British Jews must be free to go about their lives without fear - whether taking their children to nursery or attending synagogue. We do not want to live behind ever higher walls."

Attacks on Jewish people and Jewish targets have risen in Britain since the October 2023 Hamas assault on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza, according to police and community groups.

In February, the government announced about 28 million pounds ($38 million) would be provided to help provide security at synagogues, Jewish schools and community centres.

($1 = 0.7369 pounds)

(Reporting by Michael Holden; additional reporting by Gursimran Kaur, editing by William James)