Home Secretary Brands Pro‑Palestine Marches “un‑British” After Manchester Synagogue Attack
Manchester – In the wake of a deadly terrorist assault on the Heaton Park Synagogue, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned a series of pro‑Palestine demonstrations that took place hours later, describing the actions as 'un‑British' and 'dishonourable'. The remarks came as police continued to process the scene of the attack that left two local men dead and sparked a nationwide debate about the limits of protest during a period of national mourning.
The attack
On Thursday evening, a lone assailant, later identified by Greater Manchester Police as Jihad Al‑Shamie, opened fire outside the Heaton Park synagogue in Crumpsall as dozens of worshippers gathered to mark Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. The gunfire claimed the lives of Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, both long‑time residents of the Crumpsall area. Police classified the incident as a terrorist act and launched a major investigation, cordoning off large parts of Manchester and deploying armed officers throughout the night.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking from Downing Street, pledged that his government would, “do everything in my power”, to protect Jewish communities across the United Kingdom. “This is an attack on our shared values, not just on one faith”, the Prime Minister said, adding that the security services would be given, “all the resources they need”.
Pro‑Palestine protests
Despite the tragedy, a series of pro‑Palestine rallies were organised across the country on Thursday night, including a march through Manchester city centre that called for an end to Israeli military actions in Gaza. Police reported that 40 demonstrators were arrested in the United Kingdom overnight on suspicion of assaulting officers and other offences.
In an interview with Sky News, Mahmood expressed, “deep disappointment”, that the protests were allowed to proceed so close to the attack. “I think that behaviour is fundamentally un‑British. It is dishonourable”, she said. “I would have wanted those individuals to step back and give a community that has suffered deep loss a day or two to process what has happened and to begin the grieving process”.
She added that while the underlying issues driving the protests, “have been going on for some time”, the timing was, “inappropriate”, and that, “those individuals will face the full force of the law”.
Religious leaders weigh in Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, described the demonstrations as 'dangerous'. He warned that some of the marches, “contain outright antisemitism and outright support for Hamas”, noting that, “the two are directly linked”, to the terrorist attack. “We call on the Government, yet again, to get a grip on these demonstrations; they are dangerous”, Mirvis said, before confirming that he would travel to Manchester with his family to stand with the grieving congregation.
Marc Levy, chief executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region, told LBC that antisemitic incidents have risen, “extremely sharply”, since the October 7 2023 conflict in Gaza. “We have seen incidents in every aspect of communal life – universities, schools, workplaces, the NHS, cultural venues – and the wave of hatred is being amplified on social media”, Levy said.
Levy also recalled a personal connection to the Heaton Park synagogue: “My father was one of the men who helped barricade the doors to keep the terrorist out”, he said, describing the attack as a, “dark day for both the Jewish community and for Britain as a whole”.
Government response
The Home Office said it was monitoring the situation closely and would enforce existing public‑order legislation to prevent, “any further incitement to hatred or violence”. A spokesperson for Mahmood added that the department would work with local authorities to ensure that future demonstrations are “peaceful, lawful and respectful of the nation’s mourning”.
Police continue to canvass the area for witnesses and to collect forensic evidence.
Wider context
The Manchester attack marks the latest in a series of high‑profile antisemitic incidents across Europe, prompting renewed calls for stronger hate‑crime legislation and better protection for places of worship. While anti‑Israel sentiment has grown amid the ongoing Gaza war, officials say there is a clear distinction between legitimate criticism of Israeli policy and rhetoric that fuels antisemitic hatred.
As the nation grapples with mourning and political tension, authorities, religious leaders, and community groups are urging restraint and solidarity. “Now is a time for compassion, not division”, said Mahmood, reiterating her appeal for the public to, “show love and solidarity to the families of those who have been murdered and to our Jewish community”.
The attack
On Thursday evening, a lone assailant, later identified by Greater Manchester Police as Jihad Al‑Shamie, opened fire outside the Heaton Park synagogue in Crumpsall as dozens of worshippers gathered to mark Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. The gunfire claimed the lives of Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, both long‑time residents of the Crumpsall area. Police classified the incident as a terrorist act and launched a major investigation, cordoning off large parts of Manchester and deploying armed officers throughout the night.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking from Downing Street, pledged that his government would, “do everything in my power”, to protect Jewish communities across the United Kingdom. “This is an attack on our shared values, not just on one faith”, the Prime Minister said, adding that the security services would be given, “all the resources they need”.
Pro‑Palestine protests
Despite the tragedy, a series of pro‑Palestine rallies were organised across the country on Thursday night, including a march through Manchester city centre that called for an end to Israeli military actions in Gaza. Police reported that 40 demonstrators were arrested in the United Kingdom overnight on suspicion of assaulting officers and other offences.
In an interview with Sky News, Mahmood expressed, “deep disappointment”, that the protests were allowed to proceed so close to the attack. “I think that behaviour is fundamentally un‑British. It is dishonourable”, she said. “I would have wanted those individuals to step back and give a community that has suffered deep loss a day or two to process what has happened and to begin the grieving process”.
She added that while the underlying issues driving the protests, “have been going on for some time”, the timing was, “inappropriate”, and that, “those individuals will face the full force of the law”.
Religious leaders weigh in Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, described the demonstrations as 'dangerous'. He warned that some of the marches, “contain outright antisemitism and outright support for Hamas”, noting that, “the two are directly linked”, to the terrorist attack. “We call on the Government, yet again, to get a grip on these demonstrations; they are dangerous”, Mirvis said, before confirming that he would travel to Manchester with his family to stand with the grieving congregation.
Marc Levy, chief executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region, told LBC that antisemitic incidents have risen, “extremely sharply”, since the October 7 2023 conflict in Gaza. “We have seen incidents in every aspect of communal life – universities, schools, workplaces, the NHS, cultural venues – and the wave of hatred is being amplified on social media”, Levy said.
Levy also recalled a personal connection to the Heaton Park synagogue: “My father was one of the men who helped barricade the doors to keep the terrorist out”, he said, describing the attack as a, “dark day for both the Jewish community and for Britain as a whole”.
Government response
The Home Office said it was monitoring the situation closely and would enforce existing public‑order legislation to prevent, “any further incitement to hatred or violence”. A spokesperson for Mahmood added that the department would work with local authorities to ensure that future demonstrations are “peaceful, lawful and respectful of the nation’s mourning”.
Police continue to canvass the area for witnesses and to collect forensic evidence.
Wider context
The Manchester attack marks the latest in a series of high‑profile antisemitic incidents across Europe, prompting renewed calls for stronger hate‑crime legislation and better protection for places of worship. While anti‑Israel sentiment has grown amid the ongoing Gaza war, officials say there is a clear distinction between legitimate criticism of Israeli policy and rhetoric that fuels antisemitic hatred.
As the nation grapples with mourning and political tension, authorities, religious leaders, and community groups are urging restraint and solidarity. “Now is a time for compassion, not division”, said Mahmood, reiterating her appeal for the public to, “show love and solidarity to the families of those who have been murdered and to our Jewish community”.
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