Police in the United Kingdom are treating a deadly attack on a synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, as a terrorist incident after two worshippers were killed during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), officers were called to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue shortly after 9:30am on Thursday, October 2, 2025, following reports of a car ramming into pedestrians and a stabbing.
Suspect Shot by Police
Police said firearms officers confronted the attacker within minutes. Shots were fired at 9:38am, and the man believed to be the suspect was shot. His death has not been officially confirmed due to suspicious items found on his body, with bomb disposal units deployed as a precaution.
Paramedics treated at least four people for injuries caused by both the vehicle and stabbing. Authorities confirmed two victims had died, while the suspected attacker was “believed to have died.”
National Security Response
GMP declared “Plato”, the national emergency code for a marauding terror attack. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer cut short his participation in the European Political Community summit in Copenhagen to return for an emergency Cobra meeting in London.
In a statement on X, Starmer said he was “appalled” by the attack and announced increased police presence at synagogues nationwide. He stressed the attack’s severity, noting it occurred during Yom Kippur when synagogues are particularly full.
King Charles expressed that he was “deeply shocked and saddened,” while the Israeli embassy in London condemned the attack as “abhorrent and deeply distressing.”
Community Impact
Videos shared online showed armed officers confronting the suspect outside the synagogue, with witnesses ordered to move back before a gunshot was heard. Emergency services, including fire, ambulance, and police helicopters, swarmed the area.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said the situation was believed to be contained, offering reassurance that there was no ongoing threat.
Dave Rich, from the Community Security Trust (CST), highlighted the symbolic timing, noting Yom Kippur is the most sacred day in the Jewish year — “similar to Christmas Day for Christians, but a day of solemnity and fasting.”
A Nation on Edge
The attack has sparked widespread condemnation and heightened security fears, with officials warning of the broader threat such extremist incidents pose to the fabric of UK society.
