Two people are dead and another four injured outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, England after a man drove his car into a crowd of people before getting out and stabbing worshippers. 

The attack came on Yom Kippur, the holiest of days in the Jewish Calendar. Greater Manchester Police confirmed on Thursday afternoon that the suspect was neutralized by responding police officers. Two people have been arrested in the hours after the attack. Counterterrorism police did not provide further details.

Police were alerted to the attack by a witness who described seeing "a car being driven towards members of the public and one man had been stabbed." Police credited the quick thinking of a congregation member who stopped the suspect from entering the building. 

Speaking from the European Summit in Copenhagen, Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed that English police officers will work to secure Jewish sites throughout the country. 

Subscribe Today

Get daily emails in your inbox

Email Address:

"I’m already able to say that additional police assets are being deployed to synagogues across the country, and we will do everything to keep our Jewish community safe,” Starmer said. 

Starmer returned to 10 Downing Street to chair an emergency meeting following the attack.