Two masked suspects threw petrol bombs at a synagogue in north London in what police are investigating as an antisemitic hate crime, raising fresh alarm about the safety of Jewish communities in the British capital.

The attack took place shortly after midnight on Wednesday, when two individuals wearing dark clothing and balaclavas approached Finchley Reform Synagogue and hurled two bottles believed to contain petrol at the building. Neither bottle ignited, and a brick was also thrown, though no injuries were reported and the building sustained no significant damage. The Metropolitan Police said detectives from its North West Command Unit are leading the investigation, with support from specialist officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London. No arrests have been made, and police are appealing for witnesses as well as CCTV and dashcam footage.

Finchley, a neighbourhood in the London Borough of Barnet, is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the United Kingdom. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams noted the attack follows an arson incident last month in nearby Golders Green, another area with a substantial Jewish population, and pledged a heightened police presence in the coming days. The Community Security Trust, a British organisation that monitors antisemitism and coordinates protection for Jewish communities, said it was supporting the synagogue and working closely with investigators.

Sarah Sackman, the Member of Parliament for Finchley and Golders Green, visited the synagogue on Wednesday morning and described the attack as part of "a series of alarming attacks on the Jewish community" in the area. She said she refused to accept such incidents as a "new normal" and vowed to press the issue of antisemitism and community security at the highest levels of government. "British Jews must be free to go about their lives without fear," she wrote, adding that communities should not have to live "behind ever higher walls."

The incident underscores growing concern over the physical security of Jewish institutions in Britain. Anyone with information is urged to contact police using reference 1685/15APR or to reach out to the independent charity Crimestoppers.