A deadly attack occurred at a synagogue in Manchester, England, on the holiest day of the Jewish year, Yom Kippur. Two men, identified as 53-year-old Adrian Daulby and 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz, were killed in the incident. Three others were hospitalized in serious condition. The attack involved a car ramming into pedestrians outside the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue, followed by a knife attack by the perpetrator, who wore what appeared to be an explosives belt that was later found to be fake.
The suspect, 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot and killed by police seven minutes after the attack began. The incident is being investigated as a terrorist attack. According to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Al-Shamie was not previously known to police or to Prevent, a national counterterrorism program.
The attack has been widely condemned, with Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis describing it as the result of “an unrelenting wave of Jew hatred.” Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the attacker, promising the Jewish community that he would do everything in his power to guarantee their security. The incident has raised concerns about rising antisemitic incidents in the UK, which have reached record levels following recent conflicts in the Middle East.
In the first half of the year, over 1,500 antisemitic incidents were reported, according to the Community Security Trust, an advocacy group for British Jews. This surge in incidents has sparked fears among the Jewish community, with Rabbi Jonathan Romain describing the attack as “every rabbi’s or every Jewish person’s worst nightmare.” The incident highlights the need for increased security measures and community support to protect vulnerable groups from hate crimes.
As the investigation into the attack continues, police have arrested three people on suspicion of preparing or commissioning acts of terrorism. The community is coming together to show solidarity with the victims and their families, with Prime Minister Starmer promising that the UK 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.” The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of promoting tolerance and understanding to prevent such attacks from occurring in the future.
