Background on Key Figures and Relevance
The attack occurred during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, when synagogues are particularly busy with worshippers. Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, expressed his horror and cut short his attendance at a summit in Copenhagen to return to the UK. He announced additional police resources for synagogue security across the country.
King Charles III condemned the attack, stating he was deeply shocked and saddened. The Israeli embassy in the UK described it as “hateful and deeply disturbing.”
Manchester has a Jewish population of around 28,000 people, according to the Institute for Jewish Policy Research in 2021. The Community Security Trust (CST), a Jewish organization, reported an “appalling attack” on social media.
Detailed Account of the Incident
On Thursday, two people were killed and three others suffered serious injuries in an attack near a synagogue in Manchester, England. The incident took place during Yom Kippur, a significant Jewish holiday, when the synagogue in Heaton Park was packed with worshippers.
According to Greater Manchester Police, “two people were killed in a serious incident outside the synagogue.” A third individual, suspected of being the attacker, was shot by police and is believed to have died. However, his death has not been confirmed as he might have been carrying suspicious items.
An explosives disposal team is currently on-site. Initially, numerous people inside the synagogue were confined and later evacuated. The police received a call around 9:30 AM after witnesses reported seeing a car ramming people and a man being stabbed near the synagogue.
A security source informed police that a security officer was attacked with a knife. Members of the Jewish community gathered near the house of worship, some to pray.
Chava Lewin, a witness living near the synagogue, described seeing a man “starting to attack several people with a knife,” then assaulting the synagogue’s security officer and attempting to enter the building. Everyone was “very shocked.”
Context and Impact
This attack coincides with the second anniversary of a Hamas assault in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,219 deaths, mostly civilians. In retaliation, Israel launched a large-scale offensive in Gaza causing 66,055 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Hamas’ health ministry figures verified by the UN.
The UK has seen a rise in antisemitic incidents in recent years. The CST recorded 1,521 such incidents in the first half of 2024, a decrease from the record 2,019 incidents in the first half of 2024 following the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023. This year’s incident count is the second-highest ever recorded by CST, which has monitored antisemitism in Britain since 1984.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who was involved in the attack? A man attacked people with a knife near the synagogue, assaulting a security officer and attempting to enter the building.
- Who responded to the attack? Greater Manchester Police, an explosives disposal team, and members of the Jewish community were present.
- What is the significance of Yom Kippur? It’s Judaism’s holiest day, when worshippers frequently attend synagogues for prayer.
- What is the recent history of antisemitic incidents in the UK? There has been a rise, with 1,521 incidents recorded in the first half of 2024 by the Community Security Trust.
