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02
Oct
Police presence at Harrogate synagogue after Manchester terrorist incident
There was a police presence outside a Harrogate synagogue today following a terrorist incident in Manchester this morning (October 2).
A police van was parked outside the Harrogate Hebrew Congregation on St Mary’s Walk, as members of the Jewish community came and went from the place of worship.
Two members of the Jewish community were killed in what has been declared a terrorist incident at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the Crumpsall area of Manchester. Four people remain in hospital.
Today is Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and a large number of people were worshipping at the Manchester synagogue at the time of the attack.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “appalled” by the incident, and said police officers would be deployed to synagogues across the country.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:
The horrific attack in Manchester this morning will have understandably caused significant shock and distress in all our communities. Across our area, our neighbourhood policing teams are continuing to engage with local synagogues and Jewish community groups, and we have deployed officers to provide reassurance and ongoing support.
We are here to help, and we urge anyone with concerns following today's incident to contact us: in person, online, via 101, or 999 in an emergency.
Greater Manchester Police said officers were called to the synagogue on Middleton Road at 9.31am after a car was driven "directly at members of the public".
The driver was then seen to attack people with a knife, the force's chief constable Sir Stephen Watson said, adding the suspect was "wearing about his body a vest which had the appearance of an explosive device".
Firearms officers were deployed at 9.34am, and the attack was declared a major incident at 9.37am.
The suspect was shot dead by police seven minutes after the incident began, and two arrests have since been made.
Terrorist incident
In a statement following the attack, Laurence Taylor, head of counter terrorism policing, said:
This morning, an appalling attack took place in Crumpsall, Manchester.
Two people have died. And the attacker has been shot dead by police. We believe we know their identity but for safety reasons at the scene, we are unable to confirm at this stage. Three other members of the public are in a serious condition. Two arrests have been made.
Based on what we know, Counter Terrorism Policing has declared this as a terrorist incident. Our specialist teams are now leading the investigation into what happened at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue and working closely with Greater Manchester Police.
As we do this, those who have been killed and injured are at the forefront of our minds. As are their families, friends and all of those who love them. An attack on our Jewish community, today, on Yom Kippur, is devastating. Communities across the UK who would normally be marking this holy day, are now grieving, and worried about their safety.
I want to be clear, UK policing is mobilising. And is mobilising fast. Police forces are stepping up patrols across the country, at synagogues and Jewish sites and more widely to provide reassurance to all communities who are affected. At Counter Terrorism Policing we are deploying all of our capabilities in response to what has happened, and we have resources from across our network involved.
We will ensure every piece of intelligence and line of enquiry is interrogated. We are also working with the security services to ensure we have a full intelligence picture in the coming hours, days and weeks.
Following events in Crumpsall today, I would also like to ask the public to remain vigilant.
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