Two people were arrested on Sunday for involvement in the arson against a former synagogue in London, the Metropolitan Police announced, the latest incident in a wave of attacks on UK Jewish, Israeli, and Iranian dissident sites.
A 45-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson in relation to the Tuesday morning blaze at the site of the former East London Central Synagogue. Minor damage was caused to the building gates, but no one was harmed.
Hackney and Tower Hamlets police head Detective Superintendent Oliver Richter said that the synagogue had been in the process of being sold to a local Somali Muslim organization. Acuitus Auctions listed the building as sold in February.
“Our work to engage with and reassure all communities affected by recent events continues, and as always, we want to hear of any fears or concerns so we can address them,” said Richter. “I want to reiterate that no hate crime, no matter who it is against, will be tolerated. It is completely unacceptable and has no place here.”
With Sunday's arrest, the total number of those arrested since March in connection with the wave of attacks rose to 33. Eight had reportedly been charged, one of whom was convicted.
A Leytonstone resident was arrested in relation to the Golders Green Hatzola ambulances arson on Thursday, the Metropolitan police announced on Friday, reportedly the ninth arrest in relation to the first in the sequence of attacks. The 48-year-old man was taken into custody on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson, following the March 23 incident in which four Jewish emergency service ambulances were set ablaze.
A man in Portsmouth was arrested Thursday for involvement in the Finchley Reform Synagogue arson attempt, making him the third to have been arrested in relation to the April 15 incident. The Met said Friday that he was bailed until July.
Arson attack on Iran International
The same day as the Finchley synagogue attack, suspected arsonists threw a burning container into the car park of Iran International – a London-based Persian-language news outlet – but the fire died out on its own.
A building that was once the premises of a Jewish group, still with the organization’s name on the window, was the target of an arson attempt on April 17.
Three bottles containing accelerants were placed next to a building and set alight. The bottles failed to fully ignite, but minor damage was caused to the shopfront. The same day, a burning container was thrown into the car park of Iran International’s office.
On April 19, the Kenton United Synagogue was firebombed, causing minor smoke damage to a room, but no injuries. Last Monday, arsonists set a fire at the Golders Green memorial wall for Iranian protesters.
Most of the attacks were claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, with the most high-profile being the Golders Green stabbing attack last Wednesday, in which a 45-year-old Somali-born terrorist wounded two people before being subdued by police and Jewish neighborhood watch volunteers.