Terrifying Attack Shakes Manchester Synagogue on Yom Kippur; "Marauding Terror Attack" Declared
Manchester, UK – 2nd October 2025 – A horrific incident unfolded this morning outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, as a car was deliberately driven at a crowd and a man was subsequently stabbed, leading to a police shooting and multiple casualties. The event, occurring on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, has been declared a 'marauding terror attack' by authorities.
Police were alerted to the scene at approximately 9:31 AM to reports of a vehicle being driven towards members of the public and a man being stabbed. Within minutes, at 9:37 AM, a major incident was declared. Shots were fired by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) firearms officers shortly after, at 9:38 AM, hitting a man believed to be the offender.
Emergency services arrived on scene just after 9:40 AM. According to GMP, four members of the public have sustained injuries, described as being caused by both the vehicle and stab wounds. Tragically, reports suggest one of these four individuals has died, with the attacker also believed to be deceased.
Eyewitness accounts and social media footage depict a chaotic scene. Armed police are seen pointing weapons at an individual on the ground, with one person heard shouting, "Everyone move back, he has a bomb, go away". The individual on the ground appears to attempt to rise before a gunshot is heard, and they fall again. Another motionless person is seen lying on the ground outside the synagogue gates, with blood around their head.
A white lorry marked 'bomb disposal' later arrived at the scene and went behind the police cordon. While official statements emphasise that it is 'too early' to determine the attacker's motivation, the declaration of a 'Plato' response – the national code for a marauding terror attack – signals the gravity of the situation.
Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, has expressed his deep dismay, stating, "I'm appalled. The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific". He has announced that additional police resources will be deployed to synagogues across the country, and he is reportedly returning early from a meeting of European leaders to chair a Cobra meeting.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, confirmed that one of the victims was a security guard who had been stabbed. A car, a white Kia Picanto that appeared to have been damaged, was seen next to a victim. This vehicle was reportedly taxed and had recently passed its MOT.
A witness, who identified himself as delivery driver Gareth, described seeing a car that had crashed, initially believing it to be a normal collision. "We seen a guy bleeding out on the floor... And then literally, there was [another] a guy in front of the car. He just lay on the floor. We couldn't really see him", he told BBC Radio Manchester. He then witnessed a man with a knife attempting to force his way into the synagogue. "Within seconds the police arrived. They gave him a couple of warnings. He didn't listen, so they opened fire", Gareth recounted.
The area surrounding the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, a large Ashkenazi Orthodox synagogue founded in 1935, was swamped by emergency services, including dozens of police vehicles, fire engines, and ambulances. A police helicopter hovered overhead, and surrounding streets were cordoned off.
Members of the Jewish community, some visibly distressed and in tears, have gathered near the police cordon.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated she was 'horrified' by the news and extended her thoughts to the victims and emergency services. Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, described the incident as a, "vile and disgusting attack", and called for the, "rise in antisemitism that we're seeing in our country", to be, "quelled completely".
Rabbi Jonathan Romain, emeritus rabbi of Maidenhead Synagogue, described the attack as, "every Jewish person's worst nightmare", highlighting the vulnerability of congregations gathered on such a significant religious day.
The Community Security Trust (CST), a charity monitoring antisemitism in the UK, noted that Yom Kippur is a day when synagogues are typically full, and security arrangements are always in place during major Jewish festivals.
Hospitals in the region, including Salford Royal, Fairfield General, Rochdale Infirmary, and the Royal Oldham hospitals, have reportedly been placed on lockdown following the incident.
The investigation into the attacker's identity and motivations is ongoing. The incident has sent shockwaves through the nation, particularly within the Jewish community, amplifying fears and sparking renewed calls for action against hate crimes and antisemitism.
Police were alerted to the scene at approximately 9:31 AM to reports of a vehicle being driven towards members of the public and a man being stabbed. Within minutes, at 9:37 AM, a major incident was declared. Shots were fired by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) firearms officers shortly after, at 9:38 AM, hitting a man believed to be the offender.
Emergency services arrived on scene just after 9:40 AM. According to GMP, four members of the public have sustained injuries, described as being caused by both the vehicle and stab wounds. Tragically, reports suggest one of these four individuals has died, with the attacker also believed to be deceased.
Eyewitness accounts and social media footage depict a chaotic scene. Armed police are seen pointing weapons at an individual on the ground, with one person heard shouting, "Everyone move back, he has a bomb, go away". The individual on the ground appears to attempt to rise before a gunshot is heard, and they fall again. Another motionless person is seen lying on the ground outside the synagogue gates, with blood around their head.
A white lorry marked 'bomb disposal' later arrived at the scene and went behind the police cordon. While official statements emphasise that it is 'too early' to determine the attacker's motivation, the declaration of a 'Plato' response – the national code for a marauding terror attack – signals the gravity of the situation.
Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, has expressed his deep dismay, stating, "I'm appalled. The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific". He has announced that additional police resources will be deployed to synagogues across the country, and he is reportedly returning early from a meeting of European leaders to chair a Cobra meeting.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, confirmed that one of the victims was a security guard who had been stabbed. A car, a white Kia Picanto that appeared to have been damaged, was seen next to a victim. This vehicle was reportedly taxed and had recently passed its MOT.
A witness, who identified himself as delivery driver Gareth, described seeing a car that had crashed, initially believing it to be a normal collision. "We seen a guy bleeding out on the floor... And then literally, there was [another] a guy in front of the car. He just lay on the floor. We couldn't really see him", he told BBC Radio Manchester. He then witnessed a man with a knife attempting to force his way into the synagogue. "Within seconds the police arrived. They gave him a couple of warnings. He didn't listen, so they opened fire", Gareth recounted.
The area surrounding the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, a large Ashkenazi Orthodox synagogue founded in 1935, was swamped by emergency services, including dozens of police vehicles, fire engines, and ambulances. A police helicopter hovered overhead, and surrounding streets were cordoned off.
Members of the Jewish community, some visibly distressed and in tears, have gathered near the police cordon.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated she was 'horrified' by the news and extended her thoughts to the victims and emergency services. Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, described the incident as a, "vile and disgusting attack", and called for the, "rise in antisemitism that we're seeing in our country", to be, "quelled completely".
Rabbi Jonathan Romain, emeritus rabbi of Maidenhead Synagogue, described the attack as, "every Jewish person's worst nightmare", highlighting the vulnerability of congregations gathered on such a significant religious day.
The Community Security Trust (CST), a charity monitoring antisemitism in the UK, noted that Yom Kippur is a day when synagogues are typically full, and security arrangements are always in place during major Jewish festivals.
Hospitals in the region, including Salford Royal, Fairfield General, Rochdale Infirmary, and the Royal Oldham hospitals, have reportedly been placed on lockdown following the incident.
The investigation into the attacker's identity and motivations is ongoing. The incident has sent shockwaves through the nation, particularly within the Jewish community, amplifying fears and sparking renewed calls for action against hate crimes and antisemitism.
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