Two men were killed in a car and stabbing attack that took place at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in the British city of Manchester, during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Three others are still in hospital with serious injuries.

The attacker rammed a car into pedestrians, then attacked them with a knife, wearing what appeared to be an explosives belt. He was shot dead by police, minutes after they were called to the site. It was later confirmed by the police that the device the suspect was carrying "was not viable".

According to the authorities, the attacker is a British citizen of Syrian descent, and his name did not appear in any records of the UK government's counter-terrorism programme.

Three people more people, two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s, have been arrested in connection to the attack.

In an update, the Greater Manchester Police reports that “the suspect was not in possession of a firearm”, so that the death injury of one of the victims “may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this vicious attack to an end”.

Religious leaders reactions

UK Jewish leader, Chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said this is a “very dark time” of an “unrelenting wave of hatred against Jews”.

“Right now, our hearts are shattered. What transpired yesterday was an awful blow to us, something which actually we were fearing might happen because of the build up to this action”, he told BBC Radio 4.

The newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, talked about the Manchester attack in her first public speech.

“We are witnessing hatred that rises up through fractures across our communities, we then, as a church, have a responsibility to be a people who stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism in all its forms”.

“Hatred and racism of any kind cannot be allowed to tear us apart”, she adds.

The CEO of the UK Evangelical Alliance (EAUK), Gavin Calver also publicly expressed his condolences for “this awful attack”.

“Praying for all impacted by this. May the Lord bring comfort to those grieving, may peace be restored on the ground and may the emergency services have all they need to support so many at this time”, he wrote on social media.

So sorry to hear about this awful attack. Praying for all impacted by this. May the Lord bring comfort to those grieving, may peace be restored on the ground and may the emergency services have all they need to support so many at this time. Lord have mercy ? pic.twitter.com/ENE12syDfd

— Gavin Calver (@GavCalver) October 2, 2025

Growing antisemitism

“A vile individual committed a terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews, and attacked Britain because of our values”, British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer said right after the attack.

“We must beat antisemitism, that is the responsibility of us all. We will rise to that challenge to ensure our Jewish community is safe and secure”, he pointed out this morning, during his visit to the police officers and other emergency responders.

President of the European Comission, Ursula von der Leyen said on social media that her “thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the UK’s Jewish community”.

“That this attack took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more appalling. We must keep fighting antisemitism in all its forms”, Von der Leyen underlined.

My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the UK’s Jewish community after the violent attack on a synagogue in Manchester.

While in Copenhagen, I conveyed my condolences to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

That this attack took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in…

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 2, 2025

Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, condemned “this attack in the strongest possible terms. It strikes at the heart of the Jewish community on Yom Kippur, but ultimately, it is an attack on us all and on the values of tolerance and respect that bind our societies together”.

“Political violence and hate crimes are rising across our continent. We must be clear: they have no place in Europe. We must redouble our efforts to strengthen our democracies”, he added.

Meanwhile, United Nations chief, António Guterres issued an statement, pointing out that “houses of worship are sacred places where people can go to find peace […] targeting a synagogue on Yom Kippur is particularly heinous”.

Guterres also warned about the “the alarming rise of antisemitism worldwide” and stressed “the urgent need to confront hatred and intolerance in all their forms”.