British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned a car and stabbing attack at a synagogue in Manchester, northwest of London, that left two people dead and three others seriously injured. The suspect was shot dead by police.
“I’m appalled by the attack at a synagogue in Crumpsall [Greater Manchester]. The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific,” said Starmer, who left a meeting in Denmark early upon hearing of the incident Thursday morning.
The attack happened during Yom Kippur, a solemn day of fasting and atonement.
Police said they received a call at 9:31 a.m. local time outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, where attendees were observing the holiday.
According to eyewitnesses and video obtained by Worthy News, the suspect drove a car toward members of the public before stabbing at least one person. Armed police shot the suspect around 9:38 a.m., and paramedics arrived shortly afterward.
Authorities said “a large number of people” were present at the synagogue and that a bystander’s swift intervention prevented the attacker from entering the building.
Israeli And Royal Condemnation
The Israeli Embassy in Britain condemned “the act of violence.” That such “an act of violence should be perpetrated on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, in a place of prayer and community, is abhorrent and deeply distressing,” the embassy said.
Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla added they were “deeply shocked and saddened” by the attack.
After the violence, police deployed additional officers around synagogues and Jewish community sites in London “as precautionary measures.”
“While there is nothing to suggest an increased threat to London, we have deployed additional resources to the areas around synagogues, other Jewish community venues, and in those boroughs with significant Jewish populations,” the Metropolitan Police said.
The attack comes amid a rise in antisemitic incidents in Britain following Hamas’ October 7 assault on Israel and Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, according to the Community Security Trust (CST).
The CST reported more than 1,500 incidents in the first half of this year, the second-highest on record after 2024. “This appears to be an appalling attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year,” the group stressed.
Holiest Day Attack
Dave Rich, the CST’s director of policy, emphasized: “Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It’s a solemn day when synagogues across the country are full. There’s always a significant security operation in place, but the symbolism of this day makes the attack even more distressing.”
Police confirmed that the suspect was killed by firearms officers just seven minutes after the first emergency call. His identity has not been released.
Authorities delayed confirming his death due to “safety issues” after “suspicious items” were found on his person. A bomb disposal unit was dispatched, but police later clarified that a loud noise at the scene came from gaining entry to the suspect’s vehicle as a precaution.
Rabbi Jonathan Romain, emeritus rabbi of Maidenhead Synagogue, said: “This is every Rabbi’s or every Jewish person’s worst nightmare. Not only is this a sacred day, the most sacred in the Jewish calendar, but it’s also a time of mass gathering. This will obviously heighten the fears that many Jews have had, that political violence would spill over into religious hatred.”
