Britain is on high alert following a terror attack outside a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, which killed two people and seriously injured three.
The attacker, identified as Jihad al Shamie, a 35 year old British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot dead by armed police within seven minutes of the first emergency call.
The incident occurred on Thursday morning when the assailant drove a car into pedestrians and then began stabbing them outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to “do everything in my power” to protect the Jewish community and deployed additional police officers to synagogues nationwide. “We are absolutely on high alert,” Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood confirmed.
Mahmood criticized pro Palestinian rallies that took place hours after the attack, calling them “un British” and “dishonourable”. She urged attendees to “take a step back” and let the Jewish community grieve. Britain’s Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the attack was the “tragic result of Jew hatred”. “This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down, we knew would come,” he added.
The two victims killed in the attack were identified as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, both members of the Jewish community. Three people remain in serious condition in the hospital. Greater Manchester Police arrested three people on suspicion of “commission, preparation, and instigation of acts of terrorism”.
The attack has sparked widespread condemnation, with King Charles III expressing his shock and sadness. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused UK authorities of failing to curb “rampant antisemitic and anti Israeli incitement”. The incident has also raised concerns about the safety of the Jewish community in the UK, with many feeling fearful and vulnerable.
The UK government has promised to increase policing numbers around Jewish institutions and do whatever it takes to keep the community safe. The police have also urged organizers of a planned pro Palestinian protest in London to cancel or postpone the event, citing concerns about public safety.