LONDON (AP) — On Thursday, police in the city of Manchester in northwest England responded to a stabbing and car ramming attack on a synagogue.
Here’s what we know at present:
The early response
Greater Manchester Police said they were called to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, a suburb in the north of Manchester, shortly after 9:30 a.m. by a member of the public, who said he had witnessed a car being driven toward members of the public and that one man had been stabbed. They were on the scene within minutes and the incident was contained swiftly. Police praised the “quick response” of the witness, which facilitated the swift response and preventing the suspect from entering the synagogue.
The victims
Police have confirmed that two people were killed and three others were seriously wounded in the attack. They added that three other members of the public remain in serious condition.
The suspect
Police said the suspect is also believed to be dead after being shot firearms officers However, they said that they cannot at present determine whether he is dead because of “safety issues” related to “suspicious items on his person.” A bomb disposal unit has been sent to the site.
Motive unknown
The motive behind the attack is unknown. But it took place on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement and most solemn day in the Jewish calendar. Synagogues across the country, as well as around the world, will be full of people.
The government’s response
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was appalled by the attack and additional police officers would be deployed at synagogues across the U.K. He flew home early from a summit of European leaders in Copenhagen, Denmark, to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee.
The Jewish community’s reaction
There was shock at the news that a synagogue was targeted across the Jewish community. The Israeli embassy in London condemned the incident, describing it as “abhorrent and deeply distressing.” The attack was branded an “appalling attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year” by the Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism in the U.K.
The king’s shock
King Charles III said he and his wife, Queen Camilla, were “deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific attack in Manchester, especially on such a significant day for the Jewish community.” He said their “thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this appalling incident and we greatly appreciate the swift actions of the emergency services.”
Rising antisemitism
The U.K. has traditionally been a safe area for Jewish people though antisemitic incidents in the U.K. have soared following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, according to the Community Security Trust. More than 1,500 incidents were reported in the first half of the year, the second-highest reported since the record set a year earlier.
