Police are treating the latest arson attack in north-west London as an antisemitic hate crime.
Members of the Jewish community have been urged to “remain calm” as counter-terror police investigate it alongside a series of similar incidents.
There have been “online claims of responsibility” for the arson and attempted arson attacks, said the Metropolitan Police, which is supporting Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) London’s investigation.
A man was spotted on Friday evening approaching a row of shops carrying a plastic bag later found to contain three bottles of fluid, it added.
He placed the bag by a building in Hendon, Barnet, before lighting the items inside, the force said.
The man fled the scene when they failed to fully ignite, the force said, adding that the shopfront sustained minor damage and no injuries were reported.
No arrests have been made.
A police cordon was in place around a building, said to be formerly used by the Jewish community, on Saturday afternoon.
Armed response vehicles, CTP resources and police motorbikes have been deployed to the area.
A “significantly increased” number of uniformed and plain clothed Met officers will be visible through the weekend and extra stop and search powers have been granted across Barnet.
Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who leads policing in the area, said: “We continue to work with our colleagues from Counter Terrorism Policing who are leading the investigations into all of these incidents due to the similar circumstances and online claims of responsibility.”
Four Jewish community ambulances were torched in Golders Green in the early hours of March 23.
On Wednesday night, an “ignited container” was thrown into a Persian media organisation’s premises in Wembley in an attempted arson attack, the force said previously.
Detective Chief Supt Williams added: “We recognise the feeling of concern among local people and do not underestimate the impact of incidents of this nature – particularly our Jewish communities.”
A 26-year-old man who lives nearby told the Press Association: “It’s getting too close to home now.
“It’s worrying that this sort of thing is happening at the moment.”
The Met and CTP are engaging with Jewish community leaders and officers are working to provide reassurance to Jewish places of worship and businesses.
A spokesperson for the Community Security Trust (CST), a British charity working to provide safety to the Jewish community, said: “We are aware of what appears to be another attempted arson, this time targeting a premises in north London previously used by the Jewish community.”
The group said it is working to assist the police investigation, adding: “We urge people to remain calm and to report any suspicious activity, at any time of day or night, to police immediately on 999 and then to CST.”
We are grateful to the @metpoliceuk and @TerrorismPolice for their work investigating these appalling arson attacks and we are encouraged that there have been further arrests.
— CST (@CST_UK) April 16, 2026
We understand that this is a concerning time for the Jewish community, as it is for everybody, and we… https://t.co/u5Hpid8Qxn
The Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This is yet another arson attack which appears to be targeting the Jewish community – it is the third in a month as we witness a worldwide pattern of attacks.
“It is unclear to what extent, if any, they are being co-ordinated.
“Police have only just reopened a central London park over a drone threat. Britain is under attack and those responsible will not stop at targeting Jews. Meanwhile, the Government thinks it is ‘not appropriate’ to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
It is not being treated as a terrorist incident.
Police were called to the scene at 10.31pm on Friday and fire crews also attended.
Commander Helen Flanagan, of CTP London, said earlier on Saturday: “At this stage last night’s arson is not being linked to other incidents in the north-west London area over the last week or last month’s arson in Golders Green, but counter-terrorism officers are leading due to the similarities of each attack.
“I would ask that anyone with information or footage that could help our investigation gets in touch with police as soon as possible.
“We will be relentless in our pursuit of those responsible for this and other, similar, hateful acts against London’s communities.”
