Lammy heckled and booed by crowd at Manchester synagogue vigil
Justice secretary David Lammy was heckled and booed by some of the crowd as he addressed a vigil close to the scene of the Manchester synagogue attack.
As he took to the stage he faced calls of “shame on you”, “go to Palestine, leave us alone”, “you’ve allowed it to grow on the campuses” and “you have blood on your hands”.
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Friends of Melvin Cravitz, who died in the attack, have been paying tribute to the 66-year-old.
Andy Kordas, who lived close to Cravitz for many years, told the BBC he last saw him two days ago and he “always had a kind word”.
The 71-year-old said: “He always used to come over and have a chat and ask me what I was up to.
“He always had a smile on his face. It’s just terrible.”
Another neighbour, Bilal Ahmad, 55, said Cravitz was a “very nice guy” and “very calm”.
“He would always say hello when you came past,” he said.
Sam, an Orthodox Jewish man who lives behind the synagogue, said he recognised Cravitz when he saw reports of the attack.
“We used to see him around the neighbourhood and he would stop and chat,” he said.
“He was a very gentle, nice man.”
The Manchester Evening News has interviwed Hussain Waqas, a former neighbour of Adrian Daulby, who lost his life trying to protect others during the attack.
Hussain Waqas, 27, told the newspaper he grew up next door to Daulby and paid tribute to his friend.
He said:
We’re in so much shock. We used to talk for hours and hours outside. Even though he wasn’t family, he was that person I would always go to speak to.
I literally spoke to him on Tuesday, and he spoke about how it was going to be a big festival, but due to his health he said ‘I’m not going to fast.’
And he said, ‘I might be going to the synagogue or not.’ He was contemplating it. It just shows you never know where life takes you. He had a strong connection with the synagogue, he was very close to the Rabbi there. He loved his nature. He loved animals, he loved his birds. He had a YouTube channel related to birds.
He’s been through a lot. He’s a cancer survivor. He was a very simple, humble, homely person. All the kids on the street were his kids. He would bring out water guns in the summer, sweets, treats. They will miss him so much. Even now, I think he’s going to walk back down the street with a Tesco bag.”
Rabbi Daniel Walker, from the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, has told Sky News that Adrian Daulby – who died after he was accidentally shot by police during the attack – was holding the doors of the synagogue shut to ensure the terrorist did not enter.
He told the broadcaster:
One of the men was murdered entering into the synagogue from the outside on his way to pray, he was coming for morning services, Yom Kippur, and his life was taken.
The other man was inside the foyer, helping hold the doors to stop the terrorist coming in and when shots were fired he was fatally wounded.
“That was Adrian, who was holding the doors to make sure everyone inside stayed safe.”
He added that although the “pain is very raw” the Jewish community was strong and was going to recover.
He added:
I still believe in hope, I still believe that we will come together and that we are better than this – and that we’ll be better than this.”
Updated at 13.11 EDT
The Manchester synagogue terrorist shouted “this is what they get for killing our children” as he tried to get to worshippers, an eyewitness has told ITV News.
Alan Levy, the synagogue’s chair of trustees, helped barricade the doors at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue when Jihad Al-Shamie appeared waving a knife.
Levy told ITV News he saw Al-Shamie “with a big knife, banging his knife into the glass, trying to get through.
“The heroes of the congregation who saw what was happening then came to the doors because he was trying to break the doors down to get in.
“We were barricading the doors between us with Rabbi Walker and a number of the other congregants. He couldn’t get in because we were holding the doors firm.”
He added: “All I heard him say was when the guys were outside the perimeter and were shouting at him. He shouted ‘this is what you get for killing our children’.”
He added: “It’s just truly horrific. The attacks against our community … Our children aren’t safe in schools, we have to have guards. Our people are not safe at the synagogue going to pray on the holiest day of our year.”
ShareIsrael’s foreign minister tells British foreign secretary this is ‘decisive moment in UK history’
The Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar has told the British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper that “this is a decisive moment in the UK’s own history, for preserving its character”.
He posted on social media that he spoke to Cooper at her initiative, following the “horrific anti-Semitic terror attack” in Manchester.
I said that this is a decisive moment in the UK’s own history, for preserving its character, and it requires relentlessly combating the poisonous anti-Semitic movement.
I raised the need to fight the pro-Palestinian marches and protests, which bear anti-Semitic traits, and at times include explicit support for terror.
I said that this rabid incitement rightly disturbs the Jewish community in Britain deeply and it must be fought aggressively and determinedly. I emphasised that anti-Zionism is a form of antisemitism, also according to the IHRA definition.
I raised the severity in which we view the Labour conference’s decisions from a few days ago which adopted the false lies and libels against Israel of genocide and ethnic cleansing.
The Foreign Secretary clarified that these decisions do not reflect the government’s policy and the government dismissed them. I thanked her for this clarification.
We also discussed our mutual support for President Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza.”
Just spoke with UK Foreign Secretary @YvetteCooperMP, at her initiative, following the horrific anti-Semitic terror attack in Manchester.
I said that this is a decisive moment in the UK’s own history, for preserving its character, and it requires relentlessly combating the… pic.twitter.com/Y58UCtuqd8
— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) October 3, 2025Share
Updated at 12.55 EDT
Adrian Daulby’s family pays tribute to ‘hero’ who lost his life saving others
The family of a worshipper who is believed to have been shot dead by police while attempting to prevent a terrorist from entering a synagogue have paid tribute to a “hero” who died “in the act of courage to save others”.
Armed police accidentally shot Adrian Daulby and another member of the public while attempting to stop Jihad Al-Shamie getting into the synagogue.
A tribute, provided by Daulby’s family through Greater Manchester Police, said:
Adrian Daulby was a hero and tragically lost his life in the act of courage to save others, he was a beloved brother, loving uncle to his four nieces and one nephew and a cherished cousin.
The family is shocked by the tragic, sudden death of such a lovely down to earth man.
His final act was one of profound courage and he will forever be remembered for his heroic act on Thursday 2 October 2025.
Updated at 12.53 EDT
Josh Halliday
The Manchester synagogue terrorist was on police bail for an alleged rape when he carried out the attack, the Guardian can reveal.
Jihad al-Shamie, 35, was being investigated over the alleged sexual attack which is understood to have taken place earlier this year.
The Syrian-born attacker is also believed to have other criminal convictions, although he was not on the radar of counter-terrorism officers.
Updated at 12.43 EDT
Here are some photos of people who attended the vigil earlier today.
A woman attends a vigil organised by the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region to honour the victims of the Manchester synagogue attack, in Manchester, Britain, October 3, 2025. Photograph: Hannah McKay/ReutersA woman is embraced by a police officer during a vigil organised by the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region to honour the victims of the Manchester synagogue attack, in Manchester, Britain, October 3, 2025. Photograph: Hannah McKay/ReutersA man carries a placard as he attends a vigil for the victims of the attack on at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue, in Crumpsall, Manchester, England, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. Photograph: Ian Hodgson/APA community vigil outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congragational synagogue in Crumpsall, the day after a terrorist attack in north Manchester. Among the speakers were: Rabbi Daniel Walker from Heaton Park Congregational Hebrew synagogue; David Lammy, justice secretary and deputy prime minister; Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester; Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The GuardianShare
Jewish leaders in Scotland have said they are “devastated” by the attack and called for “substantive action to confront and combat antisemitism in all its forms”.
Timothy Lovat, chair of the Jewish Council of Scotland, Henry Lovat, president of Glasgow Jewish Representative Council and Matthew Shaps, chair of Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation wrote the following statement yesterday, following the conclusion of Yom Kippur:
We are devastated by the terrorist attack that took place this morning at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester, on Yom Kippur.
The victims, their families, and the entire Manchester Jewish community are in our thoughts and prayers during this time of profound grief and fear.
This awful attack is a tragic reminder of the manner in which hatred and intolerance towards Jewish people – whether put explicitly as such or directed (nominally) at “Zionists” or other euphemisms – can translate into deadly acts of violence aimed at our community.
Sentiments of concern and condolence from those whose words and conduct have previously increased rather than addressed the fears of our community, will inevitably ring hollow.
Rather, to be meaningful any words of concern must now be matched by substantive action to confront and combat antisemitism in all its forms.
Anti-Jewish sentiment and communal fears in the UK have been stoked by our political leaders’ use of inflammatory and irresponsible language about the ongoing, tragic conflict in Israel and Gaza.
With this in mind, we call on political and community leaders across Scotland to act urgently to stop fanning the flames of hatred, and – once again – to work with and alongside, rather than vilifying and alienating, the Jewish community of Scotland, to support rather than undermine community cohesion across our nation.
We thank Police Scotland for their continued engagement with and support for Jewish communities across Scotland at this extremely fraught juncture.
Last, we would once again urge all members of the community attending synagogues or other community premises to follow all instructions from police and security, and in particular not to congregate outside communal premises and to keep doors closed at all times.”
Angela Rayner was spotted attending the vigil at the synagogue. The former deputy prime minister, who has been keeping a low profile since she resigned last month, stood near Lucy Powell, one of the deputy leadership candidates. She was later photographed hugging Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood at the vigil.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner attends a vigil organised by the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region to honour the victims of the Manchester synagogue attack, in Manchester, Britain, October 3, 2025. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Photograph: Hannah McKay/ReutersLabour deputy leadership candidate Lucy Powell (left) and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner attend a vigil on Middleton Road in Crumpsall, Manchester, after two people died in a terror attack at the Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PAShare
Muslim leaders in the UK, including the chief Iman of Scotland, have condemned the attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue.
The leaders include Imams Dr Sayed Razawi, Qari Asim, Dr Khalifa Ezzat and Sheikh Mohammad Ismail DL. Alongside Jewish leaders, they recently signed the Drumlanrig Accords, a peace accord which aims to strengthen Jewish-Muslim relationships in the UK.
They have issued the following statement:
In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
The tragic events at a synagogue in Manchester, on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar and within a house of worship, have profoundly shaken our communities.
The Qur’an teaches: “Whoever kills one soul, it is as if he has slain all of humanity”. Violence and hatred have no place in our society.
The Drumlanrig Accords are a covenant – a moral contract – between Muslim and Jewish religious leaders in Britain to reject violence, uphold peace, and protect civilians of all backgrounds. They were not written to serve politics, but to serve God; not to protect power, but to protect life.
The Accords affirm our shared duty to defend the sanctity of life – especially the lives of women, children, and the vulnerable – and to safeguard places of worship and education. These are the pillars of our communities, and their protection is a sacred trust.
The Accords make clear that whilst we cannot control geopolitics, they enshrine our collective responsibility to prevent hatred from taking root in our own communities. We can ensure that mosques, synagogues, churches, and all places of worship remain sanctuaries of peace rather than targets of fear. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught: “A Muslim is the one from whose hand and tongue others are safe”.
The Drumlanrig Accords provide a robust framework to resist all forms of anti-Muslim hatred and antisemitism and deepen cooperation between our diverse faith communities in the United Kingdom to build a society where all can live with dignity, safety, and freedom of belief.
We stand in sorrow and solidarity with the families of the victims, holding them, and all who are affected, in our thoughts. We reaffirm our collective resolve: to stand together, to reject hatred, and to ensure that faith is never twisted into a weapon of harm.”In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
Updated at 12.16 EDT
Joanne Sheldon, 61, from Radcliffe, Bury, said she turned her back when David Lammy began to speak at a vigil for the victims of the synagogue attack.
She said:
We didn’t know he would be speaking here and when we found out we just thought ‘why is he here?’ Jewish people don’t feel it’s safe in Britain now.
Her friend Hayley Lawson, 49, said hatred was being “stirred up” by pro-Palestine marches.
She said:
It is not our fault what is going on between Israel and Gaza. Nobody wants war.
There were marches at the beginning with Ukraine and Russia but those marches have all gone and what about all the other things happening in the world? People aren’t marching for them.
That says to me these marches are against Jewish people, pure and simple, because if they weren’t they’d be marching about other things going on in the world.
Joanne Lazarus, 61, from Whitefield, Bury, shouted “shame on you” and “you’re embarrassing” at David Lammy as he spoke at the vigil.
She said she wanted the government to stop pro-Palestine marches taking place.
She told the PA news agency:
I took the chance to make my voice heard. I can’t take these marches every single Saturday.
I’ve been into town on a Saturday and have been told I’m a baby killer and to ‘go home’.
That hatred is felt through the whole of the UK and through what happened here yesterday. I knew it would happen.
Lazarus, who attended the Heaton Park Shul when she was younger, said she didn’t think Lammy would “care” about the response he received at the vigil.
Closing the vigil, Rabbi Walker added: “I want to say thank you again to those special and heroic men who stopped that terrorist getting into my shul and stopped much worse things happening.
“I want to say thank you to emergency services, first of all, to the police, who came to our aid at the time of our greatest need, who were there for us.
“The fire service, the ambulance service, those who tended to the wounded. to all those who have helped us and supported us through this most terrible and darkest time.
“Adrian and Melvin died as Jews for being Jews. The only way to defeat darkness, the only way to defeat unholiness, is with goodness.”