London ambulance attack reverberates at home

Hatzolah Melbourne has increased security measures after four ambulances belonging to the Jewish volunteer emergency service in the UK were firebombed in London on Monday, in what police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime.

Victoria Police moved swiftly to reassure Melbourne’s Jewish community, dispatching officers to Hatzolah’s North Caulfield headquarters within hours of news breaking of the attack.

Superintendent Marty Burke, local commander for Glen Eira and Bayside, revealed the deployment at a Jewish community meeting on Monday night.

“We know there was an incident this afternoon involving Hatzola in London,” Burke told the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) plenum.

“So our members were straight to Hatzolah in North Caulfield, engaging with them, working out some strategies on how they deal with that situation.”

Chevra Hatzolah Melbourne general manager Josh Wonder said the organisation was deeply disturbed by the attack.

“Hatzolah exists solely to provide emergency medical care, so to see responders and vehicles targeted in this way is extremely concerning,” he said.

“While there is no direct threat to Hatzolah Melbourne, we have taken proactive steps and are working closely with CSG to increase vigilance and implement precautionary security measures across our operations. The safety of our responders is a top priority.”

Sydney Hatzolah founder and president Rabbi Mendy Litzman said his organisation was also working on increased security. He described Hatzolah worldwide was “one extended family”.

“We stand with them in solidarity during this difficult time the same way they stood with us when one of our responders was shot in the Bondi attack,” Litzman said.

“We offer our full support as they continue their vital, selfless work serving the UK community.”

Community Health Support (CHS) NSW co-founder and executive director Jesse Lenn said it was “incredibly distressing to see emergency medical services targeted in this way”.

“Ambulances exist to save lives, and no one providing care should ever be put at risk,” he said.

“While this incident occurred overseas, it highlights the importance of maintaining strong security measures.

“We will continue to work closely with our community partners, CSG and local police to ensure our medical responders can operate safely while continuing to deliver critical emergency medical care to the community.”

According to The Times of Israel, the little-known Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya group claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is aligned with Iran and has also claimed similar attacks this month in Belgium and the Netherlands.

London’s Metropolitan Police said they were investigating the social media claims and treating the attack as an antisemitic hate crime, with counter-terror police now leading the inquiry.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said the attack was evidence of “two incontrovertible truths” Australia had already learned.

“First, that the Iranian regime has no compunction about committing terrorist atrocities and targeting innocent civilians across the globe,” Aghion said.

“And second, as with their torching of the Adass synagogue in Melbourne and Lewis Continental Kitchen in Sydney, these attacks have everything to do with Jews and antisemitism.

“Those who try to pretend otherwise are being wholly disingenuous and are helping to perpetuate a myth that underpins the unprecedented number of attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions throughout the diaspora over the past two years.”

The Australian reported that CCTV footage appeared to show three people in hoods pouring an accelerant onto the vehicles before igniting them and fleeing.

The London Fire Brigade was alerted to vehicles on fire at Highfield Court in Golders Green at 1.40am Monday. Some 40 firefighters found that cylinders stored on the vehicles had exploded, breaking windows in a nearby building. No injuries were reported.