Hatzola ambulances torched in Golders Green; Met treats incident as antisemitic hate crime

On 23 March 2026, four Hatzola ambulances were discovered ablaze in north London after emergency crews were alerted in the early hours of the morning. The Metropolitan Police said the response to calls on the night of 23 March came after the London Fire Brigade was summoned to Highfield Road in Golders Green at about 01:40 GMT.

Police and fire crews found multiple vehicles on fire; footage circulating from the scene appeared to show several people approaching an ambulance before flames took hold, and other video captured a large blaze with a subsequent explosion. Authorities reported that no injuries were sustained and that firefighters extinguished all of the fires. The Met has opened an investigation and is treating the incident as an antisemitic hate crime.

The vehicles belong to a Jewish community ambulance service that provides local emergency and medical support. Officers said enquiries are ongoing as they gather evidence and examine available footage. The decision to classify the attack as a hate crime places the investigation under specialist scrutiny, and police have called for anyone with relevant information or additional footage to come forward to assist efforts to identify suspects.