At least two people were killed in a suspected terrorist attack outside a synagogue in Manchester, northern England, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. The event occurred in Crumpsall, north Manchester, when a car was purposely driven into members of the public, resulting in a stabbing. Three more people were seriously injured as a result of the assault.
Police verified that the incident occurred at 9:31 a.m. outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Middleton Road. Officers responded to a public alert and determined that both the ramming and stabbing had occurred. Armed officers were dispatched, and the alleged attacker was shot dead on the site.
Emergency personnel responded quickly to the event, ensuring that all worshippers within the synagogue were safely removed. The attack occurred during Yom Kippur services, when synagogues are usually at their busiest, with big crowds for prayer, contemplation, and forgiveness ceremonies.
Greater Manchester Police launched operation PLATO, which is the national security code used when armed officers are deployed to respond to an active attack. In accordance with this announcement, armed patrols were deployed throughout the region to protect public spaces and religious institutions.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the violence, calling the attack “all the more horrific” since it occurred on Yom Kippur. He promised that more police officers would be deployed to synagogues across the UK to improve security. Starmer also cut short his trip to Copenhagen, where he was attending a European security summit, and returned to London. He will preside over a session of the government’s Cobra committee, which meets amid national crises.
Four nearby hospitals were immediately placed on lockdown to treat victims and protect public safety. Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has encouraged the people to avoid the Crumpsall area while emergency and counterterrorism operations continue. He underscored the increased dread and concern that this attack has produced among the city’s Jewish community.
Authorities are still investigating the attack, which is being handled as a terrorist act. Security has been noticeably strengthened at Jewish institutions in Manchester and elsewhere, indicating national worry about potential copycat assaults or broader threats related to religious hate crime.
