LONDON (AP) – On Thursday, October 2, 2025, a man committed a violent attack outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, a suburb of Manchester, England, targeting the Jewish community on the holiest day of the Jewish year, Yom Kippur. The assailant drove his vehicle into a group of people before proceeding to stab them, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to at least three others.
Emergency services were alerted shortly after 9:30 a.m., and police arrived on the scene within minutes. The swift actions of a bystander, along with the bravery of security personnel and congregants, helped contain the situation and prevent the assailant from entering the synagogue. The victims, whose identities are yet to be formally confirmed, were reported to be Jewish. Among the injured, one person suffered a stab wound, another was hit by the vehicle, and a third individual sustained an injury potentially related to the police's efforts to neutralize the threat.
The attacker has been identified as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent. Following the incident, he was shot and killed by responding firearms officers only seven minutes after the initial report. Authorities initially delayed confirmation of his death due to concerns that he might be carrying explosive devices; however, this was later ruled out. In conjunction with the attack, police have arrested three additional suspects—two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s—on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses.
Approximately six hours after the attack, the Metropolitan Police in London officially classified the incident as a terrorist act. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor announced that increased patrols would be deployed at synagogues and other Jewish sites across the country to reassure the affected communities. As the investigation progresses, authorities are working to uncover the motive behind the attack, which occurred on a day when synagogues are typically crowded with worshippers.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to the attack by returning early from an international summit in Copenhagen. He convened an emergency security meeting and condemned the "vile individual" responsible for the attack, emphasizing that it targeted victims solely for their Jewish identity. Starmer pledged to enhance security measures, including a more visible police presence to protect the Jewish population.
The Jewish community and various leaders expressed shock and condemnation following the violent event. The Israeli Embassy in London called the incident "abhorrent and deeply distressing," and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended his condolences to the victims' families while asserting that weakness in the face of terrorism only fosters more acts of violence. King Charles III also expressed his profound sorrow and outrage at the attack, recognizing the significance of the day for the Jewish community.
The attack takes place amidst a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents in the U.K., which have escalated particularly after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent Israeli military operations in Gaza. According to the Community Security Trust, more than 1,500 antisemitic incidents were reported in the first half of the year, marking a significant increase and making it the second-highest total recorded since last year's peak. Prime Minister Starmer noted that antisemitism is a rising hatred that Britain must confront decisively.
