A devastating act of terror unfolded in Manchester, England, on Thursday, as an assailant drove a car into people outside a synagogue before embarking on a stabbing rampage. The attack, which claimed the lives of two individuals, occurred on Yom Kippur, the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar, and has been officially classified as terrorism by authorities.
Police responded swiftly, engaging and killing the attacker, identified as 35-year-old Jihad al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent. While the incident is being treated as terrorism, investigators are still working to fully understand the motive behind this horrific act. In connection with the assault on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, three other individuals—two men in their thirties and a woman in her sixties—have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in acts of terrorism. Officials later confirmed that al-Shamie had been granted British citizenship in 2006, having arrived in the U.K. as a very young child.
Stephen Watson, the chief constable of the Greater Manchester Police, revealed that the attacker, who also seriously wounded three others, was wearing what appeared to be an explosive vest. However, subsequent investigations determined the device was not capable of detonation.
This violence in Manchester exacerbates growing anxieties across Europe and the United States regarding the safety of Jewish communities, amidst a global rise in antisemitism fueled by the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Police officers in Manchester, England, were present near the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation on Thursday, where two people tragically lost their lives. The assailant was fatally shot by the police.
Britain’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, condemned the attack as “absolutely shocking,” describing the perpetrator as a “vile individual who wanted to attack Jews because they are Jews.” Starmer promptly returned from a European leaders’ conference in Copenhagen to chair a government emergency committee meeting, stating that Britain was once again grappling with “hatred that is rising.”
The incident sent shockwaves through Manchester’s Jewish community, a vibrant, multicultural city renowned for its significant Jewish and Muslim populations. The attack has led to a noticeable increase in police protection at Jewish cultural and religious sites across the country. Due to the holiday, some Jewish community members in the synagogue’s vicinity remained unaware of the unfolding tragedy for several hours as they had no access to their phones.
“There’s a new feeling among the community that this place is no longer safe,” shared Chen Bass, a 27-year-old mother of two living in the area, expressing fears of more such events. Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham echoed these concerns in an interview with the BBC, highlighting the Jewish community’s heightened anxiety due to a recent surge in antisemitic incidents.
Police records indicate that al-Shamie had not been previously flagged as a potential threat by Britain’s official counterterrorism operations. Authorities are currently searching two residences linked to the attacker and those arrested: one in Crumpsall, close to the synagogue, and another in Prestwich, approximately two miles away.
As one of England’s largest metropolitan areas, Manchester is home to approximately 30,000 Jewish residents, forming the largest Jewish community outside London. The city’s diverse cultural landscape is a product of immigration from across the globe.
Since 2017, Britain has experienced 19 other violent incidents officially declared as terrorism. Of these, 11 were attributed to Islamist motives, five to right-wing extremism, and one to left-wing extremism, with the motive remaining unclear in two cases. While none of these prior attacks targeted synagogues, Jewish individuals and places of worship in Britain have been the focus of several thwarted terrorist plots over the last decade, planned by both neo-Nazis and supporters of the Islamic State group.
Girls were seen walking near the synagogue on Thursday, amid the ongoing police presence.
The Community Security Trust, a U.K. charity monitoring antisemitism, has reported a significant increase in all categories of anti-Jewish attacks since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. In the first half of this year alone, 1,521 anti-Jewish hate incidents were recorded, including 73 assaults and 84 cases of “damage and desecration to Jewish property,” several of which affected synagogues.
Manchester has a painful history with terrorism; in May 2017, a supporter of the Islamic State detonated a powerful bomb at the Manchester Arena, killing 22 people and injuring hundreds more as Ariana Grande fans exited a concert. The bomber, 22-year-old Salman Abedi, orchestrated the attack with his younger brother, Hashem Abedi, who is currently serving a life sentence.
Images from Thursday’s assault, including the moment officers fatally shot the attacker, quickly circulated on social media. Martin Hamer, a Manchester resident who was driving nearby, initially mistook the scene for a traffic accident. He then observed the attacker attempting to breach the synagogue through a window. Officials stated that the situation could have been far more devastating if not for the “immediate bravery of security staff” who successfully prevented the assailant from gaining entry to the synagogue.
Eighteen-year-old Osher Luftag, who lives in the area, recounted how a friend’s father had bravely braced the synagogue doors from inside, keeping the attacker out. Morning prayers had commenced at 9 AM, with many congregants inside for Yom Kippur, a solemn day of fasting and prayer focused on repentance and spiritual closeness to God.
Floral tributes were left near the synagogue, serving as a poignant memorial. “It’s a crazy moment,” shared a local resident, reflecting on the tragedy.
“As we got nearer,” Mr. Hamer described, “we realized there was a guy dead on the floor and there was another guy fighting for his life in front of the car.” He captured the unfolding events on his phone, with his daughter later sharing the video on social media. The footage showed two armed police officers aiming their rifles at the attacker, who lay prone outside the synagogue, while a severely injured victim was nearby. One officer urgently warned those at the synagogue gates to retreat, shouting, “He has a bomb! Go away!” Moments later, as the attacker appeared to stir, police fired at least one more shot, and the man collapsed to the ground.
Condemnations of the day’s violence poured in from across the political spectrum in Britain and around the globe. Kemi Badenoch, leader of Britain’s opposition Conservative Party, expressed on social media that people were “murdered simply for being Jews,” highlighting that the attack occurred on a day of introspection and spiritual reckoning for the Jewish community. Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, conveyed in a social media post: “British Jews are now grasping the full extent of today’s terror attack at the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester. This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down we knew would come.” He emphasized that the attack was not only an assault on the Jewish community but also “an attack on the very foundations of humanity.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the attack as “barbaric” and affirmed his nation’s solidarity, stating that Israel “grieves with the Jewish community in the U.K.” Warren Stephens, the U.S. Ambassador to Britain, described the events as “sickening” and a “stark reminder of the rise of antisemitism and religious intolerance in our societies.”
Speaking from Downing Street, Prime Minister Starmer addressed the Jewish community directly: “To every Jewish person in this country, I also want to say this: I know how much fear you will be holding inside of you.” He concluded with a message of unity and reassurance, stating, “Britain will come together to wrap our arms around your community and show you that Britain is a place where you and your family are safe, secure and belong.”