Manchester, Oct 3(HS): Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to do “everything” in his power to safeguard Britain’s Jewish community following a deadly attack on worshippers at Heaton Park Synagogue in north Manchester on Yom Kippur.Two people were killed and four others injured when 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie drove a car into members of the public before launching a stabbing rampage outside the synagogue on Thursday.
The attacker was shot dead by police at the scene. Three others — two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s — have since been arrested on terrorism-related charges.Addressing the nation in a recorded message, Starmer condemned the “horrific act of hatred” and assured Jewish families that their security would be reinforced. He promised an increased police presence near religious sites and pledged that “hatred against Jews, which is rising once again, must be defeated once again.” He urged Britain to stand as “a nation of compassion, decency, and love.”
The prime minister cut short his trip to Denmark to convene an emergency Cobra committee meeting. Community leaders and faith representatives have also spoken out, calling the attack an appalling act of antisemitic terror.
King Charles III expressed deep sorrow over the events, sending condolences to the victims’ families, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the attack as “barbaric terrorism” and called for “strength and unity” in the fight against hatred. Israel’s foreign minister demanded stronger measures from the British government, criticising what he described as unchecked antisemitic incitement in the country.
The attack, carried out on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, has shaken communities across the UK. The Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, described it as “the day we feared but hoped would never arrive” and linked the tragedy to a surge of antisemitic rhetoric online, on campuses, and in public life.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council said the community was “devastated,” while Muslim leaders joined faith groups in denouncing the violence. Imam Qari Asim of the British Muslim Network stressed solidarity and warned against allowing conflict in the Middle East to inflame divisions in Britain.
Political leaders across the spectrum echoed calls for unity. The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, pledged full support to the Jewish community, while opposition figures labelled the incident “disgusting” and “an outrageous attack on faith and freedom.”
Security services remain on high alert amid fears of further threats to synagogues and Jewish schools. The incident has reignited urgent debate over rising antisemitism in the UK — and the steps required to ensure that places of worship remain safe havens.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
