According to British police, a car was driven into pedestrians and a man was stabbed close to a synagogue in Manchester, northwest England, on Thursday, killing two people and injuring three others.
In response to the attack, which occurred on Yom Kippur, the most holy day of the Jewish calendar, police were dispatched to synagogues across the nation, according to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
What transpired?
Witnesses reported seeing a car being rammed into people walking in Crumpsall, a Manchester suburb, near the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. A man was also reportedly stabbed, according to them.
A member of the public called Greater Manchester Police at 9:31 am (08:31 GMT) to the incident site.
At 9:37 a.m., GMP declared a significant incident. Greater Manchester Police firearms officers fired shots at 9:38 a.m., according to the police.
At 9:41 a.m. (08:41 GMT), paramedics arrived at the scene and treated the public.
The North West Ambulance Service of the National Health Service (NHS) announced in a statement that its personnel had treated patients at the scene and that seriously ill people had been taken to the hospital.
The attack occurred on Yom Kippur, the Jewish holiday of atonement, when many people who don’t frequent synagogues go to synagogues to pray and fast.
Where in Manchester was the attack, exactly?
The Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, which is located in Crumpsall, north of Manchester, was the site of the attack.
According to Manchester City Council, there are about 18 000 residents living in Crumpsall. The suburb’s transportation system and bus lines travel 3 miles (5 kilometers) to the city center.
Since 1935, there has been a Jewish congregation in Crumpsall. 1967 saw the completion of the large Ashkenazi Orthodox synagogue.
What are the victims’ details known to us?
Three people have been seriously hurt in the attack, according to the police, and two have already died. Their identities have not been made public.
What are the attacker’s details known to us?
The attacker was shot, but police did not reveal who he was.
The Greater Manchester Police posted the phrase “one man has been shot, believed to be the offender.”
The attacker is reportedly dead, according to the police. In an X-post, it stated that “it cannot currently be confirmed due to safety concerns surrounding] his person having suspicious items.”
What has been the government’s response?
Starmer left a meeting with Danish presidents of the European Union early to deal with the incident.
According to Starmer, “we will do everything to keep our Jewish community safe,” adding that additional police forces are already being deployed to synagogues across the nation.
Starmer added, “This is all the more horrific because it took place on Yom Kippur, the most holy day in the Jewish calendar,” in an X post.
In an X-post, Starmer’s Labour Party member of the British parliament wrote: “I’m horrified to learn about this incident at a synagogue I’ve been proud to visit. Everyone affected shares my thoughts with me.
What’s happening right now in the field?
The Greater Manchester Police have urged residents to avoid the area while the officers deal with the situation.
They added that many of the people who had come together to worship in the synagogue were initially confined for safety, but have since been displaced.
Following the attack, the police claimed they had “declared PLATO.” The British police refer to an incident that is being investigated as a Marauding Terrorist Attack (MTA), in which assailants move swiftly through a location, trying to kill or hurt as many people as possible. This does not imply that the incident has been labeled a terrorist attack.
For people to inquire about their loved ones and friends who might have been present at the scene, the police have opened a public portal and a casualty bureau. Additionally, the portal asks those who were injured and are now safe to report it online.
Has the UK experienced any other hate crimes?
Yes . Recently, there have been more instances of anti-Semitism in the UK.
The UK-based Community Security Trust (CST), which promotes the welfare of British Jews, reported 3, 528 anti-Semitism in 2024, which is the second-highest level of anti-Semitism ever to be reported by CST in a single calendar year. In 19% of the cases, synagogues were the subject of damage.
The highest number was recorded in 2023, which included 4 296 incidents.
Source: Aljazeera
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