A day usually reserved for worship and celebration became the “darkest of moments”, as neighbours struggled to come to terms with a “heartbreaking” and “terrible” attack on Britain’s Jewish community.
Two people have died and three are in a serious condition after Jihad al-Shamie launched an attack outside the Heaton Park shul in Greater Manchester on Thursday morning. Police have since declared it a terrorist incident, confirming that al-Shamie was shot dead by firearms officers at the scene.
Speaking to The Independent, some neighbours said they were “shocked” and “heartbroken” at the loss of “innocent lives” in a well-respected community. Others said they were saddened but “not surprised” by the act of terror, saying that global tensions had spilled onto the streets as residents of one of Britain’s largest Jewish neighbourhoods were targeted on their holiest day.
Samantha Breeze, 55, lives just round the corner from where the attack took place. She said she first heard about the incident on a neighbourhood social media page.
“It’s a terrorist attack on innocent people,” she told The Independent. “Everybody can’t believe it. We all get on around here. We’re all together.”
She blamed global tensions surrounding the war in Gaza, which she said were being taken out on “innocent people on the street”. “We need to look inward,” she said. “I think there is a lot of anger [among] the British people on the street. I don’t feel safe.”
Ms Breeze said the Crumpsall community had been left in a state of deep shock and grief by the attack. “Our hearts are broken for you,” she told her Jewish neighbours. “There could have been children there – imagine what they witnessed. We are with you, don’t be scared, the community is with you. We know you are innocent.”
One woman told reporters near the scene: “I don’t think the community has even had a chance to react. Today is Yom Kippur. I think after that there will be a lot of shock.” She added: “This isn’t a surprise. We know there are people that want to hurt us. As long as we’re doing the right thing, we’re OK, and we trust in God.”
Amid the grief, there was fury. One man from the Jewish community gestured angrily at reporters as he said that members of his community are peaceful towards others. “It happened at my shul,” he added.
Others came from across the city to pay their respects on what they called a “horrible, horrible day”. Gurmeet Singh, 25, told The Independent he felt it was important to come from his home in Old Trafford to show support for the city’s Jewish community.
“I was quite moved and wanted to pay my respects on a very tragic and sad day,” he said. “It’s unfortunate we have to have these sort of attacks. They should be condemned by [everyone]. Before anyone is of any faith, they are a human first. So of course, on a purely humane level, it’s wrong.”
In a message for the city’s Jewish community, he said: “Carry on doing what you’re doing. Stand up to oppression. It was innocents who were killed today. Innocent lives were lost today. It makes me very emotional, and I feel quite deeply when things like this happen.”
As the scale of the incident unfolded, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned it as a “terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews”, committed by “a vile individual”.
Speaking from Downing Street after a Cobra meeting, he said: “Earlier today, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day for the Jewish community, a vile individual committed a terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews, and attacked Britain because of our values.”
Local leaders said the incident had left a “deep mark” on Manchester as they gathered to express their sorrow. Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig told reporters that residents had been left “horrified” by the “antisemitic terrorist attack”.
“We know that this will leave a deep mark on our community here in Manchester, as Jewish people were attacked on their holiest day as they went to worship,” she continued. “But know this: in Manchester we will stand with and support our Jewish friends, our Jewish community, our neighbours, fellow residents.
“Tonight is a difficult moment of sadness and reflection, but I know that Manchester will come together – they’ll show the unity that we’re proud of, and they’ll stand [together] in declaring that hate has no place in our city and that Manchester is a city we can all be proud of, and a city that will show the love and the support to our Jewish friends that they need in this moment of darkness.”
Her words were echoed by home secretary Shabana Mahmood, who travelled to Manchester to meet with police chiefs in the wake of the attack. She vowed that the government would “do whatever is required to keep our Jewish community safe”.
But as dusk fell, workers replaced police tape with orange fences and notices saying “Road closed” – a sign that the work is far from over, and the questions are far from answered.
