In a devastating incident that has stunned the UK, two people were killed and three others seriously injured in a car ramming and stabbing attack outside a Manchester synagogue on Thursday morning. The assault unfolded at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Crumpsall, precisely during Yom Kippur services—the holiest day in the Jewish calendar—turning a moment of solemn prayer into one of profound terror.
Greater Manchester Police responded swiftly to reports around 9:30 a.m., where a vehicle plowed into worshippers before the driver allegedly stabbed a man. Officers arrived to find chaos; they fired shots at the suspect, who is believed to be deceased. A bomb disposal unit was immediately deployed after suspicious items were found on the attacker's person, heightening fears of a broader threat. Indeed, the scene remains cordoned off as investigations continue, with authorities treating it as a suspected terrorist act.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, cutting short an overseas trip, condemned the "appalling" violence and is chairing an emergency COBRA meeting. He described it as a direct assault on Britain's Jewish community, vowing that such hatred will not prevail. The King and Queen expressed their shock, offering prayers for those affected. Moreover, the Israeli Embassy in London decried the timing, calling it an outrageous desecration of a sacred day.
However, details are still emerging amid the fog of the immediate aftermath. Witnesses spoke of screams and panic as the car accelerated toward the crowd, with one victim reportedly dragged along the ground. The synagogue itself was not breached, a small mercy in an otherwise grim picture. Local leaders, including Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham, urged calm while assuring the public the incident is contained.
This attack, coming amid rising concerns over antisemitism, underscores the fragile security many communities face. As the nation grapples with the loss, one can't help but wonder how such darkness infiltrates even the most peaceful gatherings.