Police moved quickly to declare a terrorism incident - and that’s unusualpublished at 16:46 BST

16:46 BST

Dominic Casciani
Home and legal correspondent

Counter-terrorism police officers have a tried-and-tested system for assessing whether a violent incident counts as terrorism.

Put simply, they look at the initial evidence and work out whether the act of violence was carried out in an attempt to influence the government, or to intimidate the public, or a section of it, in order to advance a political, religious, racial or ideological cause. That is the legal definition of terrorism set out in our law.

But in recent years the police have hesitated from making speedy calls - partly because of the outcome of the 2021 bomb blast outside the Liverpool Women’s Hospital. Police called it terrorism - but ultimately there was no evidence the man had extremist views - and plenty that he had been very mentally unwell.

After that, counter terrorism chiefs indicated that sometimes they will need to take longer to make the call one way or another.

The fact that they have called this terrorism so quickly today indicates very strongly that they believe they have evidence that points to an alleged “mindset”. That can often be something the suspect has said, or material found on their phone or computer.

Image source, Pool

The home secretary says the government will "strain every sinew" to keep the Jewish community safe following this morning's attack.

Shabana Mahmood says she will not “tolerate a situation where our Jewish citizens have to lead smaller lives” to keep themselves safe.

Ministers have already been taking action on security and ensuring Jewish community sites are well protected, she says, adding that "an enhanced police presence" will continue.

"We will go further," she tells reporters, including on action to tackle the "root causes" of antisemitism in society.

On the police investigation, Mahmood says the initial circumstances of the attack suggest it is correct to designate it as a terrorist incident.

When asked whether there is a suspected link to Iran, she says it is "very early to say" what the motivations may have been and that it would be "improper to speculate".

"As soon as more facts are established, then we will of course be keeping the public updated.”

In the last hour, we've had updates from both the Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley. Here's what we've learned:

• A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody. He has ahistory of serious violence and mental health issues, Rowley said
• The attack has been declared a terrorist incident. An investigation is under way to determine whether the Jewish community was being "deliberately" targeted
• Two men, aged 76 and 34, suffered stab wounds. Police officers responding to the stabbing were also attacked
• Rowley, who was heckled with chants of "shame on you" while delivering his statement, said the unarmed officers hadfeared the suspect was carrying an explosive device

• The commissioner said police activity has stepped up in the capital in recent weeks and asked: "Why don't we see more condemnation of recent attacks?"

Image source, Reuters

After Rowley, Labour MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Sarah Sackman, says what happened on the streets of Golders Green today is "appalling".

"An attack on Britain's Jews is an attack on Britain itself," she says.

She adds that she has just been with the home secretary, and the Prime Minister has called a Cobra meeting.

"We need to hear from the moderate majority who want to root this sort of hate out of our communities," she says.

Image source, PA Media

Rowley is asked whether visibly Jewish people are safe on the streets of London.

He responds by saying today's attack was "awful" and it is "completely understandable" why Jewish Londoners feel afraid. He says that is why "so much extra policing" is being put out and the force will look at what more it can do.

He is asked what he says to chants of "shame on you" which could be heard during his response.

He says he has received "so many thanks from Jewish communities" in recent weeks over the extra policing that is done, and people recognise officers going above and beyond, such as those who responded today.

Referring to a rise in "racist and antisemitic hate crime", Rowley says police are aware that some people are encouraged or paid to commit acts of violence by foreign organisations and hostile states. Though he says he can't comment on any live investigations.

He warns if someone is acting out of hatred, racism or anti-semitism "we will come after you".

He further points to increased police activity in recent weeks - including additional shifts to "protect Londoners".

Rajini Vaidyanathan
Reporting from Golders Green

We can hear heckling from the crowd as Rowley takes questions.

"Shame on you" people chant, while others are calling on him to resign.

It's hard to even hear the commissioner as people shout over him.

Rowley goes on by saying that antisemitism is "fuelled by hateful and extremist ideologies".

"It comes from hostile states, the extreme right, and the extreme left. These are terrorist and hateful belief systems but they're all rooted in racism," he says.

The commissioner says it's time to ask some difficult questions.

"Why don't we see more condemnation of the attacks we've seen in recent weeks? Where are all the voices against hate? And where is the solidarity with fellow Londoners who are being targeted simply for who they are?"

He adds that debate about international affairs should never be allowed to "legitimise antisemitism or violence against British Jews here on the streets of London", and "when that line is blurred, attacks become more likely".

"This is an attack on one community and an attack on one community is an attack on all london's communities," Rowley continues.

"This was an attack on Londoners. It was an attack on British Jews.

"Too many Jewish people in this country feel they have to make choices that no other Briton ever has to make.

"They have to chose what they dress, where they go or how visibly they live their lives. That is completely unacceptable and has gone on for far too long."

Image source, Getty Images

The commissioner, speaking next to local MP Sarah Sackman, calls the incident "another horrendous act of violence directed against our Jewish communities".

He adds it will rightly "shock and anger" people in London.

Rowley continues by saying his first thoughts are with the two British Jews attacked while going about their daily lives, which they should be able to do "freely and safely".

He also pays tribute to the police officers whose actions "undoubtedly" prevented further injury and saved lives.

"They confronted a man they believed to be a terrorist, who refused to show his hands, who was violent, and continued to pose a clear threat," he says.

"These were not armed officers and they feared he was carrying an explosive device."

He says they managed to detain the man while he was trying to stab them. "Without their bravery I doubt to think what the outcome could have been," he says.

Rowley says the man arrested over the attack has a history of serious violence and mental health issues.

Image source, Reuters

Sir Mark Rowley, commissioner for the Metropolitan Police, has started speaking in Golders Green, where the attack took place earlier today.

We will bring his remarks shortly.

Image source, Reuters

Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley is in Golders Green and is speaking soon.

He is accompanied by Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis.

We'll bring you updates as they come.

Image source, PA Media

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis says "words of condemnation are no longer sufficient" following this morning's attack.

"This must be a moment that demands meaningful action from every institution, every community, every leader, and every decent person in our country," he writes on X.

"This is a hatred that we must face down together."

Counter-terror head Laurence Taylor has now finished his brief statement. He praised the bravery of members of the public who responded at the scene.

He said police were working alongside partners in security services to obtain a full picture of the incident, including trying to determine whether the Jewish community in London was deliberately targeted.

Taylor said the community was strong, but will be "incredibly concerned" by the events of today, "particularly in the wake of other incidents in recent weeks".

He finished by stressing that counter terror police forces were mobilising up and down the country "to provide additional support and reassurance".

He asked that the public remains vigilant and provide support to communities, and called for people to "be alert to what is happening where you live".

Image source, PA Media

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor is now speaking.

He says the attack has formally been declared a terrorist incident.

Rajini Vaidyanathan
Reporting from Golders Green

Image source, Reuters

What's usually a bustling stretch of Golders Green road with fruit shops, a kosher supermarket, a butchers and baker, now lies behind police tape - as police officers investigate the scene of the stabbing.

This is a resilient community. It was just weeks ago that four ambulances operated by the Jewish medical charity Hatzola were set alight, just metres from today's incident.

In recent weeks I've interviewed Jewish leaders who say attacks on their community have risen - there have been other arson attacks in other parts of London including on a synagogue.

Security is already on high alert - today's attacks mean many here feel even less safe.

As we've been reporting, two Jewish men have been stabbed in Golders Green in north London.

The Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service say they have responded to an incident in Highfield Avenue.

Meanwhile, a local resident told us that one stabbing took place on Golders Green Road outside some shops, while the other was on a side road outside a synagogue.

Lucy Manning
Reporting from Golders Green

Ben Grossnass from Shomrim, a Jewish security volunteer group, describes how the team responded:

"We got a phone call to the hotline saying that there's a man stabbing people and we sent our members to scene. We were first on scene, and we apprehended him together with the police.

"He was outside the synagogue on Highfield Avenue, and he started stabbing someone outside there.

"Then he went on down Golders Green Road, and he continued stabbing a visibly Jewish man and he went after him, pushed him over and started stabbing him repeatedly."

Just a few weeks ago there was an arson attack against Hatzola ambulances run by a Jewish medical charity, almost in the same place. They treated the injured this morning. Here's Grossnass again:

"It's just one after another and we're just crying out to the government to listen to us, feel the pain of the community. What's going on? How much more can we take? We're still in shock from the previous instance and this one happened."

Steven Bak, also from Shomrim, says everyone is shocked.

"Our kids are in shock and fear and having a hard time at the moment, just going up, walking, going to the shops, going to synagogue. So we have to pull together like we normally do, and just try and continue life," he says.

A police cordon remains in place after a man was arrested following the attack in Golders Green.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Image source, AFP via Getty Images