A horrific act of terrorism unfolded in Manchester, England, on Thursday, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. An assailant deliberately rammed a car into a crowd outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue before launching a violent stabbing spree, ultimately killing two people. Four others sustained serious injuries in the attack, according to police reports. The assailant was shot dead by police near the synagogue. [Image: Police officers maintain a cordon in Manchester, England, near the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, where two people were killed and the assailant was shot dead by police.]
Emergency services responded within minutes, as Chief Constable Stephen Watson of the Greater Manchester Police confirmed. Officers confronted the perpetrator, who was wearing what appeared to be an explosive vest. Investigators later determined the device was not functional. While police believe they know the attacker’s identity, it will not be released until absolute certainty is established. Two other individuals have been arrested in connection with the attack, their roles yet to be disclosed.
This surge of violence in Manchester exacerbates growing fears for Jewish communities across Europe and the United States, as antisemitism continues to rise, particularly in the wake of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
[Image: Residents near the synagogue observe the police investigation on Thursday.]
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack as “absolutely shocking,” describing the assailant as a “vile individual who wanted to attack Jews because they are Jews.” He promptly returned from a European leaders’ conference in Copenhagen to convene a government emergency committee, emphasizing that Britain is once again experiencing a rise in hatred.
The attack sent a ripple of alarm through Manchester’s diverse Jewish community, prompting heightened police protection at Jewish cultural and religious sites nationwide. Many community members, observing Yom Kippur with phones turned off, remained unaware of the unfolding tragedy for hours.
Chen Bass, a 27-year-old Orthodox Jewish mother living nearby, voiced a new sentiment of insecurity: “It’s this new feeling among the community that this place is no longer safe. We think we will see more and more of this.” Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham echoed these concerns on the BBC, noting the Jewish community’s increasing anxiety due to a recent rise in antisemitism.
As one of England’s biggest metropolitan areas, Manchester hosts the country’s most significant Jewish population outside London, comprising approximately 30,000 people. The area’s multiculturalism is the result of waves of immigration from around the world.
Since 2017, Britain has endured 19 other declared terrorist attacks, with motivations ranging from Islamist (11 cases) to right-wing (5) and left-wing (1), with two remaining unclear. While none of these occurred at synagogues, British security services have thwarted numerous plots targeting Jewish individuals and places of worship, including schemes by neo-Nazis and Islamic State sympathizers.
[Image: Girls walk near the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation on Thursday.]
The Community Security Trust, a British charity monitoring antisemitism, has reported a significant increase in all categories of anti-Jewish attacks since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023. The first half of this year alone saw 1,521 anti-Jewish hate incidents, including 73 assaults and 84 instances of damage or desecration to Jewish property, many at synagogues.
This attack painfully recalls the May 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, where an Islamic State supporter detonated a powerful device after an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people, many of them children, and injuring hundreds. The suicide bomber, Salman Abedi, and his brother, Hashem Abedi (now serving a life sentence), had planned that attack.
Footage of Thursday’s assault, including the moment police fatally shot the attacker, quickly spread across social media. Martin Hamer, a local resident, initially mistook the scene for a traffic accident but then witnessed the assailant attempting to breach the synagogue’s windows just before police arrived.
Officials lauded the “immediate bravery of security staff” who prevented the attacker from entering the synagogue, potentially averting a far greater tragedy. Osher Luftag, an 18-year-old local, shared his shock, mentioning that a friend’s father had valiantly braced the synagogue doors from inside. Morning prayers (Shacharis) had begun at 9 a.m., with many congregants inside observing the solemn 25-hour fast and prayer of Yom Kippur.
[Image: Floral tributes form a poignant memorial near the synagogue, a testament to the community’s sorrow.]
Mr. Hamer recounted his experience: “As we got nearer, 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 scene with his phone in a video that his daughter posted on Facebook. The images showed two armed police officers with their rifles aimed at the attacker prone on the ground outside the synagogue, as a severely injured victim lay nearby. One of the officers yelled to people at the synagogue gates to move back, shouting: “He has a bomb! Go away!” Moments later, the attacker appeared to be trying to get up, and the police fired at least one shot. The man fell back to the ground.
Condemnations poured in globally from across the political spectrum. Kemi Badenoch, leader of Britain’s opposition Conservative Party, lamented on social media that people were “murdered simply for being Jews,” noting the somber timing on Yom Kippur. She urged the nation to reflect: “These are questions we urgently need to ask ourselves as a nation.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the “barbaric” attack, stating his nation “grieves with the Jewish community in the U.K.” U.S. Ambassador to Britain, Warren Stephens, described the events as “sickening” and a “stark reminder of the rise of antisemitism and religious intolerance in our societies.”
From Downing Street, Mr. 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 solidarity: “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.”