Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
A solemn religious gathering turned into a scene of horror on Thursday morning when a man launched a violent attack outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, leaving two people dead and four others seriously injured. Police swiftly declared the incident a terrorist attack, further escalating concerns over the rise of antisemitic violence in the United Kingdom.
The attack occurred in the Crumpsall area of northern Manchester, just after 9:30 a.m., as worshippers marked Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the attacker used his car to target people outside the synagogue before exiting the vehicle and assaulting individuals with a knife. Armed police responded within minutes, fatally shooting the suspect at approximately 9:38 a.m.
Authorities later confirmed the suspect was wearing a vest that appeared to be an explosive device, prompting a large-scale emergency response that included bomb disposal units. One controlled explosion was carried out at the scene to safely access the suspect’s vehicle. A helicopter from the British Armed Forces’ Special Air Service (SAS), nicknamed “Blue Thunder,” was also deployed, an indication of the seriousness of the situation and a move that typically follows direct approval from government officials.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor of London’s New Scotland Yard confirmed that counterterrorism officers are now leading the investigation. “Based on what we know, counterterrorism policing has declared this is a terrorist incident,” Taylor said during a press briefing. “We will ensure every piece of intelligence and line of inquiry is interrogated.”
Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson of the GMP revealed that the two victims who lost their lives were members of Greater Manchester’s Jewish community. The four others who were wounded remain hospitalized with serious injuries.
A Community in Mourning, A Nation on Alert
While the suspect has not yet been publicly identified, police say they are confident about his identity but have withheld confirmation due to ongoing safety protocols. Two additional individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer cut short an official trip to Denmark upon learning of the attack and returned to London to chair an emergency COBRA meeting, a high-level government session convened in times of national crisis. Speaking later that day, Starmer condemned the assault as a “vile” act of antisemitism.
“This attack targeted Jews because they are Jews, and it attacked Britain because of our values,” the Prime Minister said in a national address. “The fact that it took place on Yom Kippur makes it all the more horrific.”
Starmer assured the British Jewish community of enhanced security, announcing that additional police would be deployed to synagogues and Jewish centers across the country. “We will do everything in our power to keep our Jewish communities safe,” he pledged.
Royal Condolences and Public Tributes
The British royal family also expressed deep sorrow over the attack. In a statement, King Charles III and Queen Camilla said they were “deeply shocked and saddened” and extended their condolences to the victims and their families. “We greatly appreciate the swift actions of the emergency services,” the monarch added.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, also released a statement, calling the attack “shocking” and emphasizing the added tragedy of it taking place on Yom Kippur. “We are thinking of the entire community as well as the emergency responders who attended this terrible incident,” they said.
A Rising Tide of Antisemitism
The synagogue attack has once again drawn national and international attention to the surge in antisemitic incidents, both in the U.K. and globally.
The Community Security Trust (CST), a British charity that tracks antisemitism and provides protection to Jewish institutions, recorded 1,521 antisemitic incidents in the first six months of 2025 alone, the second-highest half-year total on record. CST has pointed to a sharp rise in such incidents since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023.
Across all of 2024, CST documented 3,528 antisemitic incidents in the U.K., following a record-breaking 4,296 cases in 2023. The persistence of hate crimes targeting Jewish individuals and institutions has led to mounting fear and behavioral changes within the community.
Similar trends are being observed in the United States, where the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a 361% spike in antisemitic incidents in the three months following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. A 2025 ADL report found that 56% of American Jews said they altered their behavior out of fear of antisemitism up from 46% in 2023 and 38% in 2022.
Recent violent incidents, including the killing of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., and an arson attempt during a pro-Israel demonstration in Colorado, have further intensified concerns about the global climate for Jewish communities.
“Nobody Should Have to Live With These Fears”
In his remarks, Prime Minister Starmer directly addressed British Jews: “On behalf of our country, I express my solidarity, but also my sadness that you still have to live with these fears. Nobody should have to do that. Nobody.”
As investigations continue, authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious. With the attack on Heaton Park Synagogue now officially classified as a terrorist incident, the British government and law enforcement agencies are facing growing pressure to confront the roots of religiously motivated violence and ensure the safety of communities increasingly under threat.
This latest act of violence has not only left a community reeling during one of its most sacred days, but has also cast a sobering spotlight on the reality of antisemitism in modern Britain. As the nation grieves, it must now also reckon with how to ensure that such horror is never repeated.
