Archbishop Bernard Longley has condemned what he called the “abhorrent” targeting of Britain’s Jewish community, after the anti-Semitic terror attack in Golders Green prompted renewed alarm over rising hatred and a heightened national security posture. The Archbishop of Birmingham, who leads the Bishops’ Conference’s work on dialogue and unity, said the stabbing of two Jewish men in north-west London should serve as a warning to the whole country.

Longley said he was “shocked and deeply disturbed” by the attack, and offered prayers for the victims and for the wider Jewish community. He also praised the emergency services and local first responders, including Shomrim and Hatzola, for acting swiftly to prevent further violence. “People of all faiths should be free to worship and express their faith without hate and prejudice,” he said, adding that the assault on Jews in Britain was “abhorrent”.

His intervention came as the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre raised the UK threat level from “substantial” to “severe”, a move announced after the Golders Green stabbings, though not attributed solely to that incident. Government policing sources said the rise reflects a broader increase in Islamist terrorist threats from individuals and small groups based in the UK.

The suspect in the attack, Essa Suleiman, 45, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and was remanded in custody after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Of the two victims, 76-year-old Moshe Shine remains in hospital, while 34-year-old Shloime Rand has been discharged. Rand later said he felt that God had “given me back my life”.

Longley’s remarks were echoed by Aid to the Church in Need, which said it joined “those who refuse to be silent in the face of hatred towards religious groups”. The charity said it was praying for the victims and pointed to its 2025 Religious Freedom in the World report, which found a marked increase in anti-Jewish violence in Britain since the outbreak of the current conflicts in the Holy Land.

The wider context is one of mounting anxiety among British Jews. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Mark Rowley, has now asked the Home Office for 300 additional officers to help tackle anti-Semitism.