British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned a car-ramming and stabbing attack at a synagogue in Manchester that left two people dead and three others seriously injured on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The suspect was shot dead by police within seven minutes of the first emergency call.

✡ In Memoriam ✡

Two lives lost on the Day of Atonement
May their memory be a blessing

Prime Minister cuts short trip to condemn attack

Prime Minister Starmer, who left a meeting in Denmark early upon hearing of the incident Thursday morning, expressed his horror at the targeting of worshippers on such a sacred day.

“I’m appalled by the attack at a synagogue in Crumpsall [Greater Manchester]. The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific.” — Prime Minister Keir Starmer

The attack occurred during Yom Kippur, a solemn day of fasting and atonement when observant Jews believe God seals the fate of each person for the coming year. The symbolism of targeting Jews on this particular day has amplified the shock and distress felt across Britain’s Jewish community.

Timeline of the attack

Attack Chronology

9:31 AM: Police receive emergency call about incident outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Greater Manchester
9:31-9:38 AM: Suspect drives car toward members of public, exits vehicle and stabs at least one person
9:38 AM: Armed police shoot suspect dead (7 minutes after initial call)
Shortly after: Paramedics arrive; bomb disposal unit called after suspicious items found on suspect
Later: Police confirm no functional explosive device; loud noise was from entering suspect’s vehicle as precaution

Eyewitness accounts and police response

According to eyewitnesses and video obtained by news sources, the suspect drove a car toward members of the public before exiting the vehicle and stabbing at least one person. Armed police responded within minutes, shooting the suspect at approximately 9:38 AM local time.

Authorities said “a large number of people” were present at the synagogue for Yom Kippur services when the attack occurred. Critically, a bystander’s swift intervention prevented the attacker from entering the building, potentially saving many lives.

Key Details:

  • Two fatalities, three seriously injured
  • Attack occurred on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
  • Location: Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, Crumpsall, Greater Manchester
  • Police response time: 7 minutes from call to suspect neutralized
  • Bystander intervention prevented entry to synagogue building
  • Suspicious items found on suspect, later determined non-functional
  • Large number of worshippers present for holiest day of Jewish year

Delayed confirmation due to safety concerns

Police delayed confirming the suspect’s death due to “safety issues” after discovering “suspicious items” on his person. A bomb disposal unit was dispatched to the scene as a precautionary measure.

Authorities later clarified that a loud noise heard at the scene came from officers gaining entry to the suspect’s vehicle as a precaution, and that the suspicious items were assessed and deemed not to be functional explosive devices. The suspect’s identity has not yet been publicly released.

International and royal condemnation

The attack drew swift condemnation from international and British leaders, with particular emphasis on the targeting of a place of worship on Judaism’s most sacred day.

Official Responses

Israeli Embassy in Britain: Condemned “the act of violence,” stating that “such an act of violence should be perpetrated on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, in a place of prayer and community, is abhorrent and deeply distressing.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla: Said they were “deeply shocked and saddened” by the attack.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres: Condemned the targeting of a synagogue as “heinous” and extended condolences to victims’ families.

“The Secretary-General extends his deepest condolences to the victims and their families and wishes a swift recovery to the injured. He stands in solidarity with the Jewish community and calls for those responsible to be brought to justice. The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the alarming rise of antisemitism worldwide and stresses the urgent need to confront hatred and intolerance in all their forms.” — UN Secretary-General spokesperson

Enhanced security measures deployed

Following the attack, police deployed additional officers around synagogues and Jewish community sites in London and across the country as precautionary measures.

Metropolitan Police Security Response

“While there is nothing to suggest an increased threat to London, we have deployed additional resources to the areas around synagogues, other Jewish community venues, and in those boroughs with significant Jewish populations.”

Context: Rising antisemitism in Britain

The attack comes amid a significant rise in antisemitic incidents in Britain following Hamas’s October 7 assault on Israel and Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.

Antisemitic Incidents on the Rise

The Community Security Trust (CST) reported more than 1,500 antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2025, the second-highest on record after 2024. The organization described the attack as “an appalling attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year.”

Dave Rich, the CST’s director of policy, emphasized the particular significance of the timing: “Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It’s a solemn day when synagogues across the country are full. There’s always a significant security operation in place, but the symbolism of this day makes the attack even more distressing.”

‘Every Jewish person’s worst nightmare’

Rabbi Jonathan Romain, emeritus rabbi of Maidenhead Synagogue, captured the profound fear the attack has generated within Britain’s Jewish community.

“This is every Rabbi’s or every Jewish person’s worst nightmare. Not only is this a sacred day, the most sacred in the Jewish calendar, but it’s also a time of mass gathering. This will obviously heighten the fears that many Jews have had, that political violence would spill over into religious hatred.” — Rabbi Jonathan Romain, Maidenhead Synagogue

Rabbi Romain’s comments reflect a growing concern among British Jews that the political tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are increasingly manifesting as direct threats to Jewish communities in the diaspora, particularly at their most vulnerable moments of religious observance.

The significance of Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, holds profound significance in Judaism. It is a solemn day of fasting, prayer, and repentance when observant Jews seek forgiveness for their sins and believe that God seals their fate for the coming year.

Synagogues are typically filled to capacity on this day, with Jews spending much of the 25-hour period in prayer and reflection. The targeting of worshippers on this particular day represents not just an attack on individuals, but an assault on one of Judaism’s most sacred traditions.

Ongoing investigation

Greater Manchester Police continue to investigate the attack, working to establish the suspect’s motives and whether he had any accomplices or support network. The swift police response, which neutralized the threat within seven minutes, has been praised by community leaders and authorities alike.

The investigation will also examine security protocols at the synagogue and assess what additional measures may be necessary to protect Jewish community facilities across Britain in light of the rising threat level.

As the Jewish community mourns the loss of two lives and prays for the recovery of the three seriously injured victims, questions remain about how to balance religious freedom and community access with the stark security realities facing Jewish institutions in contemporary Britain.