Synagogue president left in shock after suspected 'horror' arson attack on former building: 'Deeply upsetting'

The President of the East London Central Synagogue has spoken to GB News following a suspected arson attack on his synagogue's former building in Tower Hamlets.

Speaking to National Reporter Charlie Peters, Leon Silver said his reaction was one "of horror" as he learned of the fire at the premises on Nelson Street.

Police were called in the early hours of Tuesday morning by the London Fire Brigade to reports of a fire at the former synagogue site in Tower Hamlets.

Minor damage was caused to a set of gates and a lock at the front of the building and no reports of any persons injured.

Initial CCTV enquiries indicate that the fire was started intentionally, and the incident is being treated by police as arson.

Speaking to GB News following the incident, the synagogue's president said: "The synagogue had been daubed once before, several months ago.

"But this is way beyond even that. It's absolutely shocking and deeply upsetting."

Recalling the incident which happened "months ago", Mr Silver revealed: "A lot of the building is empty, and part of the ceiling came down several years ago, so it is a closed synagogue, but it is still a synagogue.

"There's a lot of graffiti outside, but it was actually, ironically, not during the Gaza War, but after the ceasefire, the synagogue was stormed, was daubed with paint 'free Palestine' and 'kill the Zionists'.

"I reported it to the council and to their credit, they immediately did have it removed."

Asked for his reaction to the political action being taken to protect the Jewish community, Mr Silver suggested that "not enough is being done" following a string of targeted attacks.

He told GB News: "It's very difficult for me to say, but I would say no, not enough is being done."

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"Of course, funding is important for protection, but the real solving of the problem is education.

"It's communities getting to know each other, and it is cutting down on hate language, and there has been plenty of hate language.

"I've heard hate language, there have been demonstrations, not recently, but certainly a year or two ago.

"And people were certainly shouting out hateful things like 'from the river to the sea', which is a call for extermination of the Jewish state.

"That's not political protest, that is calling for extermination, and that is a completely separate thing."

Detective Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke said of the investigation: "We are taking this incident extremely seriously and we will be working closely with colleagues from Counter Terrorism Policing to support the investigation.

"The building targeted has not been operational as a synagogue for some years but that will be of little comfort to the Jewish community in Tower Hamlets, Hackney and beyond, who are first in my thoughts this morning.

"Local residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area while enquiries into this incident continue."

In a statement, a spokesman for London Fire Brigade said: "We were called at 05.11am today (May 5) to reports of a fire at a disused synagogue on Nelson Street in Whitechapel.

"Firefighters extinguished a small fire affecting the exterior of the building. There were no reports of any injuries. The Brigade is investigating the cause of the fire alongside the Metropolitan Police."

Police have urged anyone with information to contact 101, and quote reference number CAD 1000/5MAY.