Moment heroes ‘save lives’ by distracting Golders Green knifeman ‘targeting Jews’

This is the moment two heroes drove ahead of a suspected terrorist, shouting out to warn Jewish people before he could attack.

Isaac Cohen, 41, and Ido Birman, 38, were hailed as ‘heroes’ after raising the alarm and driving at the attacker who was seen lunging at people walking in Golders Green, north London.

A 45-year-old man, who is a British national, born in Somalia, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. 

It came as the Met’s commissioner said the suspect had ‘a history of serious violence and mental health issues’.

A knifeman is also seen in CCTV appearing to run at Jewish people walking in the suburb.

One man thankfully spots him at the last second and starts sprinting and screaming ‘help’ in the distressing footage.

Ido said: ‘We were in the car we saw him running with a knife it was terrible.

‘We screamed out of the car and started honking the horn.

‘We told a woman and baby to run – and we saved her. It was very frightening.’

The father of the baby told Metro: ‘They shouted at my wife to get back inside with my baby. He saved their lives. She ran back into the house. They were heroes.’

Isreal, a friend of the pair, told Metro: ‘The world needs to see what is happening here.

‘The footage shows that they saved many lives. They saved a mother and child and many other people with their quick thinking. I’m proud to call them my friends.’

The two victims of the confirmed terror attack were named as Moshe Shine, 76 and Shloime Rand, 34, they are both stable in hospital.

Shloime Rand’s sister, who preferred not to be named, said he remains ‘in shock’ with the knife coming close to rupturing his vital organs. 

The Orthodox Jew had left morning prayer to go to work in the property and mortgages sector mere moments before he was pounced on in the street. 

‘It’s appalling, but also not surprising,’ his sister told the Daily Mail. ‘We get targeted by antisemitism all the time. 

‘On a weekly basis, people walk past me on the street yelling “Hitler’s behind you”, “all Jews go to hell”, “Palestinians will win”, things like that. 

‘My brother is a very hard-working, proud citizen of this country who contributes to society. He was casually walking down the street and was pounced on by this terrorist.

‘The only thing that provoked the attacker was the way he looked. He was attacked just because he’s Jewish.

‘Thankfully he’s going to recover, but we’ve been told that if the knife had hit a centimeter to the right or to the left, it would have ruptured his vital organs.’

The chief rabbi has appeared to name the victims in today’s attack as Nachman Moshe ben Chaya Sarah and Moshe Ben Baila.

‘Please join me in praying for a swift and complete recovery for the victims of today’s attack,’ he said in a brief post.

A shocking video shows the first victim appearing to put on his skullcap just seconds before a suspect lunges at him with what appears to be a blade.

There is no lead-up to the attack or words exchanged before the suspect in a coat and backpack, attacks the man in Highfield Avenue at around 11.15am.

Footage later appears to show the man walking towards police in the middle of the road as officers shout ‘Put the knife down’.

He is tackled to the floor and kicked in the head by officers but keeps a firm grip on what appears to be a small knife in his hand.

An officer eventually wrestled it away from him and throws it away and another shouts: ‘I am arresting you on suspicion of attempted murder.’

A source told Metro the alleged attacker had ID on him with a ‘Muslim name’.

Iran-backed terror group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which also claimed the ambulance arson attack last month, claimed responsibility for the stabbing.

A statement on Telegram, said: ‘Zionists were targeted by our lone wolves in the Golders Green area of London.

‘This heroic act left two Zionists critically wounded and on the brink of death. Historically, the Jews are the killers of Jesus Christ, and today the Zionists are the killers of innocent women and children.’

They shared publicly available footage of the attacks and also saluted the suspect who is charged with storming the Washington Correspondents’ Dinner.

It is a well-known propaganda tool to claim responsibility in the wake of attacks to increase confusion and fear.

A pizza shop worker on Golders Green Road has said he helped an elderly stab victim after he saw him ‘bleeding’ from his neck after he was stabbed.

Tariq Aziz, who works at pizza takeaway shop Slice, said: ‘He came to our shop and then I gave him a tissue and helped him, and then police came suddenly and arrested the guy.’

He said the suspect ‘wasn’t running away’ after the attack and that when the police came, he pointed out the suspect as he was ‘just walking down there with a knife’ and ‘the police arrested him.’

He added: ‘The blood was coming from his neck.’

Aziz said he believed the victim was stabbed twice.

Speaking at the scene amid heckles of ‘resign’ and ‘shame on you’, Sir Mark Rowley praised his officers and the community for confronting the suspect, who they thought might be carrying an explosive.

‘I also want to pay tribute to my officers, who were on the scene within a few minutes, and whose actions undoubtedly prevented further injury and saved lives.

‘Before coming here today, I met with them. They’re nothing short of extraordinary. They confronted a man they believed to be a terrorist, who refused to show his hands, who was violent and continued to pose a clear threat.

‘These were not armed officers, and they feared that he was carrying an explosive device.

‘Using only their training, their courage and their tasers, they managed to detain him, whilst he continues to try and attack and stab them.

‘They will tell you they were simply doing their jobs but without their bravery, I dread to think what the outcome would have been.

‘I also want to recognize the extraordinary voluntary first responders from the community, including the Shomrim.’

Vahid Baghi, who looks after the nearby memory wall which was targeted in an arson attack two days ago saw the aftermath of the stabbing.

He told Metro: ‘It was chaos I was driving along and people were running for their lives. One guy had a leg injury. It was chaos. In these times it’s so frightening. Someone set fire to the memory wall and now this it’s so scary.’

Chaim Kesselman said: ‘We don’t feel protected, we are scared. These attacks make me feel sick.’

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said they ‘demand and expect action’ to protect British Jews.

Ben Grossnass, a volunteer in community security group Shomrim, said: ‘We got a phone call to the hotline at 11.20am this morning, we were on the scene within a minute-and-a-half of the phone call.

‘I saw a lot of shock in the street and the attacker was having CPR, I think he went into cardiac arrest after being tasered.

‘There is a lot of hate in society and antisemitism.

‘There are ways the Government can crack down on this and it is time they did that.’

Writing on X, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that those responsible for the attack will be brought to justice.

He said: ‘The antisemitic attack in Golders Green is utterly appalling.

‘Attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain.’

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King was on a state visit to the US but was still concerned.

They said: ‘His Majesty is being kept fully informed and is naturally deeply concerned, in particular about the impact for the Jewish community.

‘His thoughts and prayers are with the two individuals who were injured and offers his heartfelt gratitude to those who so selflessly rushed to their aid.’