UK: Knife-wielding man held for anti-Semitic threat at grocery store in Golders Green

LONDON: The Metropolitan Police have arrested a knife-brandishing man on the basis of "racially-aggravated affray," who threatened shoppers at a Jewish grocery store in London's Golders Green in an alleged anti-Semitic incident.

A video of the incident has gone viral on social media. In the video, several men can be seen detaining a person on the ground.

It is reported that the man was making threats to customers and shop assistants and shouting anti-Jewish slurs.

"Our officers have arrested a man after being called to reports of a person with a knife in Golders Green this afternoon," said London's Metropolitan Police Service in post on X.

"We were called at 13:27hrs on Monday, January 29, to reports of a man with a knife on Hamilton Road, NW11. Officers responded and carried out a search of the area," the post added.

The police said that there were no reports of injuries and that the incident is not being treated as "terror-related."

"Shortly before 13:40hrs a 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, criminal damage, and racially-aggravated affray. He was taken into custody. There were no reports of any injuries. A knife was recovered at the scene. The incident is not being treated as terror-related," the post also read.

"I know this incident will cause concern in the community," said Inspector Scott Barden-Marshall, from the local policing team in north-west London.

"Officers responded quickly and made an arrest within 10 minutes. An investigation is now underway to establish the circumstances," the inspector also said.

According to a report from the Jerusalem Post, tensions have been high among UK Jewish communities since the Hamas attacks on October 7.

Anti-semitism in US is also on the rise as a result, and many Jews are allegedly considering leaving the UK, the report added.