British pop star Boy George said Thursday he was in Golders Green as police began arriving after two Jewish men were stabbed in the north London neighborhood, describing the panic he felt at the scene and voicing support for Britain’s Jewish community.
“I was in Golders Green yesterday,” the 64-year-old singer wrote in a post on X. “I arrived just as the police presence was building. My heart goes out to the two Jewish victims and to their loved ones. We need to make our Jewish community know we support them.”
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Assailant attacks Jewish passersby in London's Golders Green; Boy George
(Photo: Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)
“Even before I knew what had happened I was in tears because you could feel panic in the air,” he added. “These are just regular people getting with their lives.”
The Metropolitan Police said the attack Wednesday was being treated as a terrorist incident after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, one of London’s most prominent Jewish neighborhoods. The victims were identified as Shloime Rand, 34, who was stabbed in the chest, and Moshe Shine, 76, who was stabbed in the neck while waiting at a bus stop. Both had left morning prayers at a synagogue before the attack.
A 45-year-old British man born in Somalia was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Police used a stun gun to subdue him after he reportedly tried to attack officers.
Boy George, whose real name is George O’Dowd, wrote that London’s Jewish community was an integral part of the city. “London has always been a great multicultural city,” he said. “Our Jewish community brings us so much. They are an integral part of the fabric of this city.”
Assailant attacks Jewish passersby in London's Golders Green
He attached to the post a link to a 2006 performance by the late Jewish singer Amy Winehouse of Love Is A Losing Game.
The stabbing came after a series of antisemitic attacks and vandalism targeting Jewish sites in London, including arson attempts and damage to community institutions and vehicles. British authorities are investigating possible links between some of the incidents and Iran-backed networks.
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Law enforcement try to subdue Golders Green attacker
(Photo: Handout / METROPOLITAN POLICE / AFP)
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the Golders Green attack and chaired an emergency Cobra meeting, Britain’s top-level crisis response forum, as Jewish leaders urged stronger government action to protect the community.
Boy George rose to fame in the 1980s as the lead singer of Culture Club, whose hits included Karma Chameleon. He became one of the era’s defining pop figures, known for his flamboyant style, heavy makeup and androgynous image at a time when queer culture was far less visible in mainstream public life.
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Police forces at the scene of the Golders Green stabbing attack
(Photo: REUTERS/Hannah McKay)
His comments came days after he defended his participation in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest, where he is set to represent San Marino alongside Italian singer Senhit. His participation has drawn criticism from anti-Israel campaigners amid calls to bar Israel from the competition.
“I have many, many Jewish friends that I’ve had since I was 15 or 16 years old,” Boy George said in a recent interview. “Are people asking me as a principled human being to turn my back on my Jewish friends? It’s not going to happen, it’s never going to happen.”
He also said his connection to Jewish people stretches back to the early days of Culture Club. “From the beginning of my career I wore a Jewish star. Go back and look at pictures of Culture Club,” he said. “I am so affiliated with Jewish people.”
Boy George said he was “not necessarily affiliated with Israel” and did not “really have an opinion on that,” but added: “The job of music is to unite people.”
UK opposition leader: Britain faces ‘epidemic of violence’ against Jews
Criticism of Britain’s handling of antisemitism intensified Thursday after authorities said the suspect in the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green had a history of serious violence and mental health issues.
British media reported that the 45-year-old suspect had been known to Prevent, the government’s counterextremism program. The Metropolitan Police has said the attack is being treated as terrorism and that investigators are examining whether it was intended to target London’s Jewish community.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer booed at scene of Golders Green stabbing attack
Starmer visited the scene of the attack Thursday, where some protesters shouted “traitor” and “Keir Starmer, Jew harmer,” reflecting growing anger among British Jews who say the government, police and local authorities have failed to confront antisemitism with sufficient force.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley was also heckled at the scene Wednesday, with bystanders shouting “resign” and “shame on you,” after he described the stabbing as “another horrendous act of violence directed against our Jewish communities.”
London police chief heckled with cries of 'Shame!' at attack scene
Jewish community leaders have long warned that large pro-Gaza marches held regularly in London since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel have created a hostile atmosphere in the capital and fueled antisemitism. Community representatives have called for an end to what they describe as hate marches and for a zero-tolerance policy toward antisemitism at universities, accusing the government and security services of moving too slowly.
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, joined the criticism Wednesday, saying British Jews were facing a national emergency.
“Jewish people in our country are under constant attack,” Badenoch said. “This is no longer a growing pattern. There is an epidemic of violence against Jewish people.”
“I’m not the commissioner of police, I’m not the prime minister, but I can see there are certain things which are fueling this and we need to drain the swamp,” she said.
The British government said it would fast-track legislation to counter “foreign state threats,” after police warned that countries including Iran, Russia and China have used criminal gangs as proxies to carry out operations on British soil. Authorities are investigating whether some recent attacks on Jewish targets in Britain are linked to Iran or Iran-backed networks.
The proposed legislation would allow authorities to treat criminals carrying out hostile acts on behalf of foreign states in a manner similar to agents working for foreign intelligence services.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also announced additional funding to strengthen security at synagogues and other Jewish institutions, as well as increased police presence in areas with large Jewish communities. The government pledged 25 million pounds, about $34 million, for security around Jewish institutions, including synagogues, schools and community centers.
In a separate case, British police said Thursday they had arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of involvement in planning a terrorist attack against the Israeli Embassy in London. The arrest was made Wednesday in Hertfordshire, following the discovery on April 17 of two containers holding a non-hazardous powder.
Investigators were examining a possible link to a video posted online showing a target marked on an image of the Israeli Embassy in London. The video was allegedly distributed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, an Islamist group suspected of links to Iran. It showed figures in protective suits operating drones, raising concern about a possible planned attack.
Two other suspects were previously arrested in the investigation: a 39-year-old man detained in west London and released without charge, and a 37-year-old man arrested in Devon and released on bail until July.
Itamar Eichner contributed to this report.