Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said the raising of the threat level meant the possibility of an attack was “highly likely”.
The suspect in the attack was on Thursday named as Essa Suleiman. The 45-year-old, who is being held in connection with Wednesday’s north London attack, was in 2020 referred to the government’s counter-terror programme.
Suleiman is a British national born in Somalia who had a “history of serious violence and mental health issues”, police say.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said in a Downing Street address that the government was open to learning lessons about Prevent.
Protesters heckled Sir Keir as he arrived in and left Golders Green to meet first responders and community leaders. Dozens of people chanted offensive slogans.
The government has come in for fierce criticism over its response to antisemitic attacks from critics who say not enough has been done to protect the Jewish community. Jewish leaders warn antisemitism is becoming normalised.
Met chief warns Greens’ Polanski of ‘chilling effect’ of arrest post
Britain’s top police officer says Green Party leader Zack Polanski sharing a post about the arrest of the Golders Green terror suspect will have a “chilling effect”.
Mr Polanski retweeted an X post accusing officers of “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head” when he was already incapacitated from being Tasered.
But Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told Mr Polanski in a letter that he was disappointed, adding that the post was “inaccurate and misinformed”.
Sir Mark said the officers were “nothing short of extraordinary”, saying: “Without their efforts to stop him, I dread to think what the outcome could have been.”
He added: “London’s Jewish communities are scared.
“They have experienced a series of targeted attacks on the community, and they expect our officers to act, protect them.
“That is exactly what our officers did yesterday. Your decision to criticise these officers, using your public profile and reach will have a chilling effect.”
A Green party spokesperson: “Zack has seen the video like everyone else, and doesn’t know the full picture and knows it was a very difficult situation for the authorities, but we do need to understand more about the response.”
Jane Dalton30 April 2026 21:25
Antisemitism campaigners call for timeline for action from Starmer
The Campaign Against Antisemitism says words are no longer enough and called for a “timeline for action” following Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement of a crackdown on antisemitism.
A spokesperson said: “This is the second time since October 2023 that an embattled prime minister has belatedly given a strong speech on antisemitism that finally says what we’ve been saying all along but comes with no timeline for action.
“Words are no longer enough. Everything that the prime minister has said this afternoon could have been enacted over the past two years of this premiership, and he has only said them now because more Jews have been injured and we announced a rally outside Downing Street calling for a plan.
”We are fed up of words: we need action – and the prime minister still gave no sense of timeline of when that action will be forthcoming. This is a national emergency. Where is the urgency?”
The campaign says the situation is a national emergency.
Jane Dalton30 April 2026 20:50
In pictures: Demonstrators at Downing Street
Jane Dalton30 April 2026 20:23
Protesters accuse ministers of appeasing fanatical hatred
Dozens of protesters gathered outside Downing Street to demand that the prime minister tackle antisemitism.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) organised the rally after two Jews were stabbed in Golders Green on Wednesday.
Stephen Silverman, the CAA’s director of investigations and enforcement, told protesters in Whitehall, some of whom held Israeli flags: “We have seen no meaningful action which has consequences playing out before our eyes.
“This government has appeased this fanatical hatred. They gaslit us.
“Patriotic British Jews now worry about their safety each and every day and question their future in this country.
“Prime minister, how are you going to deal with this? Prime minister, what is your plan?”
Jane Dalton30 April 2026 20:08
Anti-terror unit Prevent that attack suspect was referred to
Jane Dalton30 April 2026 19:59
Police set to review ‘all marches’ across UK
Head of counter-terrorism policing Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said police would be reviewing all marches across the UK after the UK terrorism threat level was raised to severe.
He said: “As part of our review into the change in the threat level, policing will be reviewing all events across the country.
“My teams will be working with forces to ensure that we have appropriate protective security measures in place, that the appropriate mitigations are put in place, and we will be engaged with communities who will be affected by large events, as well as those involved in the events, so that we can keep them safe as they can be.”
Jane Dalton30 April 2026 19:50
Threat to UK Jewish and Israeli people and institutions raised, police chief warns
The Metropolitan Police have seen an “elevated threat to Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions in the UK”, according to head of counter-terrorism policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor.
He said: “Our casework is increasing across a number of ideologies, and within that, we are seeing an elevated threat to Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions in the UK.
“We’re also working against an unpredictable global situation that has consequences closer to home, including physical threats by state-linked actors.”
The senior officer said there would be an enhanced police response in place across the country.
Officers will be “deploying unpredictably, which means sometimes you will see them and sometimes you won’t, but please know we are with you,” he added.
Jane Dalton30 April 2026 19:47
Women walk in solidarity with Jewish community
Around 100 women of different faiths have gathered in Golders Green to “walk in solidarity” in support of the Jewish community.
The inter-faith walk begun at Golders Green station on Thursday evening and will finish where the incidents happened along Golders Green Road.
Organisers Julie Siddiqi and Lyndsey Simmons said: “An attack on one part of our community is an attack on us all.
“We are walking today to show our support for the Jewish community in this country and to stand together against hatred and division.”
Speaking to women on the walk, Ms Siddiqi added: “It’s very powerful that we’re here as women.
“There was something very important for us to come together as women.”
Jane Dalton30 April 2026 19:45
In pictures: Fire erupts near synagogue
Jane Dalton30 April 2026 19:25
Met Police refer themselves to watchdog over arrest
The Metropolitan Police have referred themselves to the police complaints watchdog over the arrest of the suspect.
A spokesperson for the Independent Office for Police Conduct said: “We received a mandatory referral from the Met this afternoon, which relates to injuries reportedly sustained by the man who was arrested following yesterday’s attacks in Golders Green.
“The man was taken to hospital and discharged the same day. We are assessing the referral to decide what further action may be required.”
Green Party leader Zack Polanski and others have accused officers of using excessive force during the arrest.
Jane Dalton30 April 2026 19:12
