Former marines are hired to protect synagogues and Jewish schools after wave of anti-Semitic attacks

Published: 11:56, 3 May 2026 | Updated: 11:58, 3 May 2026 Former soldiers have been hired to protect synagogues and Jewish schools after a wave of anti-Semitic attacks have left British Jews terrified. Jewish institutions have always relied on volunteers or security guards but it has been revealed they have been using the services of private contractor supplied by Community Security Trust (CST), which safeguards British Jews and distributes Home Office funding. The firm mainly employs its staff from the armed forces, including elite fighting units in the Royal Navy and British Army. It is believed the veterans were sent to temporarily protect Jewish synagogues and schools following the Heaton Park synagogue attack in Manchester in October which saw two worshippers killed. With the war in Iran triggering more hostility towards British Jews, the former soldiers have been sent to patrol in north London and Manchester. Since the conflict erupted Tehran has claimed responsibility for a number of incidents targeting Jews in the UK, including an arson attack on a fleet of Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green and at least two synagogues in Finchley and Kenton which were targeted in failed petrol bombings. The most recent incident, labelled as a terror attack by the Met Police, came on Wednesday when a man stabbed two Jews in broad daylight in Golders Green. Essa Suleiman, 45, who had previously been referred to the government's anti-terror scheme Prevent, is accused of attacking Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76 in the north London neighbourhood. Orthodox Jews stand by a police cordon following the stabbing incident in the Golders Green area, which is home to a large Jewish population on April 29 Essa Suleiman, 45, who had previously been referred to the government's anti-terror scheme Prevent, is accused of attacking Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76 in the north London neighbourhood  CCTV image reportedly shows the moment Moshe Shine was stabbed while waiting for a bus Rand was discharged from hospital on Thursday. Shine left hospital on Saturday morning.  He is also accused of attempting to murder Ishmail Hussein - who he had known for 20 years -  in a knife attack at Hussein's flat in Southwark, south London, earlier on the same day. Suleiman, who came to the UK from Somalia as a child, also faces a charge of possessing a knife in a public place in Golders Green. Brave volunteers from the Shorim security charity attempted to challenged Suleiman before police officers Tasered and arrested him. The UK's terror threat level was raised to severe following the stabbing - meaning terror attacks on British soil are now 'highly likely'. The government said the increase was 'not solely' a result of the attack, adding the threat level had been rising 'for some time'.  Meanwhile, a row has ignited over whether police officers at the scene of the stabbing used 'proportionate force' to arrest the suspect. Green Party leader Zack Polanski was last week criticised for endorsing claims on social media that Metropolitan Police officers were heavy-handed after three people were stabbed, earning a public rebuke from Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley. Mr Polanski, who is Jewish, issued an apology for the timing of his actions on Friday night, but in a round of media interviews today doubled down on his questioning of the police's actions. He told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuennsberg he was 'concerned by what he saw and remains concerned' by videos of the arrest last Wednesday. Green Party leader Zack Polanski was last week criticised for endorsing claims on social media that Metropolitan Police officers were heavy-handed after three people were stabbed He added that 'people who are being brave should not be above scrutiny' and criticised Sir Mark for intervening publicly, saying: 'Open letters aren't an appropriate way to do politics either in a local election.' In a wide-ranging set of interviews he also defended pro-Palestinian marches through London saying they do not make British Jews any more 'unsafe'. He said said that accusations that the marches were hotbeds of anti-Semitism were a 'distortion' and people, including Jews like himself, had the right to march to protest against the bloodshed in Gaza. It came after Sir Keir Starmer lashed out at chants of 'globalise the intifada', amid concerns about the growing threat to British Jews. The Prime Minister also suggested he wanted to see 'tougher action' against people using certain phrases at Gaza demonstrations, but stopped short of agreeing with calls for a ban on the marches. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.