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Terrorist attack in Manchester: Yom Kippur becomes a bloody day
Terror attack in Manchester during Yom Kippur: Two dead, several injured and growing concerns about anti-Semitism.
Terrorist attack in Manchester: Yom Kippur becomes a bloody day
On October 2, 2025, a tragic terrorist attack occurred outside a synagogue in Manchester on the highest Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur. The attack claimed two lives and left several injured. The suspected perpetrator, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot dead by police after he drove a car into a group of people and then attacked a man with a knife. The police assume a terrorist motive and have already arrested three suspects - two men between the ages of 30 and 40 and a woman between the ages of 60 and 70.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III were shocked by the violence and announced increased police protection for synagogues across the country. These worrying developments have reignited the debate about anti-Semitism in Britain. Starmer expressed concern about the resurgence of hatred, while Israeli President Izchak Herzog linked the violence to the current situation in the Gaza war and highlighted growing levels of anti-Semitism in Britain. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also called on the British authorities to take concrete measures to combat this hatred.
Historical roots of anti-Semitism
The incidents in Manchester are part of a worrying trend. Anti-Semitism is a pressing problem not just in the UK but worldwide. In Germany, for example, current statistics show an alarming increase in anti-Semitic incidents. According to a survey in 2022, around 30% of respondents experienced anti-Semitic “jokes”, while 15% reported derogatory statements about Jews among their friends. Such attitudes are often deeply rooted in society, even 70 years after the Holocaust.
Anti-Semitism is described as a complex phenomenon, with both traditional and modern anti-Semitism being observed. While COVID-19 has affected many countries, there has been a rise in anti-Semitic incidents worldwide in recent years. There were 2,255 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in Great Britain in 2021, underlining the need to consistently combat this problem and highlighting the importance of coming to terms with one's own history.
Reactions and measures
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack on the synagogue as an attack on a holy place, while EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that anti-Semitism must be combated at all costs. The federal government's anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, also commented on the developments and praised the quick intervention of the police in Manchester.
The brutal events in Manchester show that the fight against anti-Semitism remains an urgent concern and that society is affected at all levels. The collective responsibility in Europe is not only to condemn such hatred, but also to actively work to combat it.
Given the current situation, it is crucial that both governments and civil society work together to counter anti-Semitism and ensure the safety of all faith communities. These unbearable incidents make it clear that there is an urgent need for action.