Manchester Synagogue Attack: Attacker Shot Dead

A terrorist attacked the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur, killing two worshippers; the assailant was shot dead by police. Authorities identified the attacker as 35-year-old Jihad al-Shamie, a British man of Syrian descent, and named the victims as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66; families have been informed and post-mortems are planned. Some reports have suggested police may have accidentally shot one of the victims during the incident. The attack has sharply raised tensions nationwide: mourners booed Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy at a vigil demanding the government curb pro-Palestinian marches, and large anti-Israel demonstrations near Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s residence prompted clashes and roughly 40 arrests. Police have deployed hundreds of extra officers, with cancelled rest days and support from other forces, to reassure Jewish and other communities, protect key sites and manage planned protests. The violence has deepened a political dilemma for Starmer’s government, straining efforts to root out antisemitism in Labour while the government faces pressure from activists to show stronger support for Palestinians after recent moves such as recognizing a Palestinian state.