Three more arrests in synagogue attack investigation; Lammy heckled at vigil for Manchester synagogue attack – latest | UK news
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…
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”.
Key events
Police arrest three more people
Three more people have been arrested by police investigating the attack.
The arrests of the man and two women, aged between 18 and their mid-40s, brings the total number of people held on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism to six, greater Manchester Police has said.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing Laurence Taylor said that as well as the two men who were killed – Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66 – three other men remain in hospital with serious injuries.
Talking more about the investigation, Taylor said: “We have been told from witness accounts that a man was seen acting suspiciously outside the synagogue before he was confronted by security and walked away. Based on the information we have at this time, we don’t believe this was reported to Greater Manchester Police because the man had left the area.
“Around 15 minutes later, the individual returned in a vehicle and began his horrific attack.
“There were a large number of worshippers in attendance but thanks to the bravery of security staff, worshippers and the fast action of the police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access.
“Based on some fast time assessments conducted on our systems, this individual does not appear to be known to Counter Terrorism Policing, however he does have a non-CT related criminal history. This includes a recent arrest for rape, which resulted in him being bailed.
“At this stage, we believe Al-Shamie may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology. Establishing the full circumstances of the attack is likely to take some time.”
Grant Shapps, the former defence secretary, has said his father-in-law was worshipping at the synagogue when the attack occurred.
Shapps said hearing 79 year-old Michael Goldstone’s “chilling first-hand account” has brought home to him the “horror” of what happened.
Goldstone, the father of Shapps’ wife Belinda, came “face to face with the terrorist”, Shapps shared yesterday.
Shapps and his wife initally were unable to reach Goldstone after the attack, and only realised he was OK when they saw him leaving the synagogue on Sky News.
Yesterday’s terrorist attack on Manchester’s synagogue was an assault on the Jewish community and our shared humanity; hearing my father-in-law’s chilling first-hand account brings home the horror, as we mourn the lost, pray for the injured, and stand unshaken against hate.
— Rt Hon Sir Grant Shapps (@grantshapps) October 3, 2025
Israel will host Tommy Robinson in October as “courageous leader on the frontline against radical Islam”
Ben Quinn
Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister, Amichai Chikli, has said Israel will be hosting a visit by the Far Right activist known as Tommy Robinson in October.
In a message on X, Chikli said: “In the wake of the horrific Manchester terrorist attack, Israel and the Jewish people stand firmly with our allies in the United Kingdom.
On behalf of the State of Israel, I am proud to host British patriot @TRobinsonNewEra who will visit Israel in mid-October. Tommy is a courageous leader on the frontline against radical Islam,” he added.
“At a time when Jews across Europe face rising antisemitism, it is vital to strengthen bonds with allies who refuse to be silent. He has proven himself a true friend of Israel and the Jewish people, unafraid to speak the truth and confront hate. Israel will always stand with the Jewish community and our allies worldwide. Together with friends like Tommy Robinson, we will build stronger bridges of solidarity, fight terror, and defend Western civilization and our shared values.”
Robinson, a former member of the Far Right British National Party (BNP) whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has increasingly sought to present himself as an ally against antisemitism as he and others have promoted anti-Muslim positions.
In the wake of the horrific Manchester terrorist attack, Israel and the Jewish people stand firmly with our allies in the United Kingdom.
On behalf of the State of Israel, I am proud to host British patriot @TRobinsonNewEra who will visit Israel in mid-October.
Tommy is a… pic.twitter.com/D7gcNvHMFj
— עמיחי שיקלי – Amichai Chikli (@AmichaiChikli) October 3, 2025
One of the synagogue attack victims is under armed guard in hospital, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Yoni Finlay was among the worshippers who held the doors of the synagogue closed to prevent the Jihad Al-Shamie from coming in with a knife.
He reportedly sustained an injury to his stomach from either a stray police bullet or debris after it struck the door.
After being taken away from the scene on a stretcher, he has had surgery and is in hospital under armed guard. He was awake and speaking on Thursday evening, according to reports.
Greater Manchester Police said Melvin Cravitz was a security guard working at the synagogue when the terror attack happened “who courageously stopped the attacker from entering the building”.
His family, in a statement issued by police said: “Melvin would do anything to help anyone. He was so kind, caring and always wanted to chat and get to know people.
“He was devoted to his wife, family and loved his food. He will be sorely missed by his wife, family, friends and community.
“We ask for privacy as we try to come to terms with this shocking loss.”
Sir Keir Starmer has urged people planning to protest in Manchester and London this weekend to “respect the grief of British Jews” as he said demonstrations could cause further pain to mourners.
Writing in The Jewish Chronicle, the prime minister said that antisemitism is rising and Jews face dangers simply because of who they are.
He wrote:
Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy – and there is justified concern about the suffering in Gaza – but a minority have used these protests as a pretext for stoking antisemitic tropes.
I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews this week.
This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain.
This is still the country that was proud to be a refuge during World War Two. This is still a country that prides itself on its values of tolerance, diversity and respect. A country that welcomes all people, no matter their faith, to stand under the same flag together, as neighbours and friends. It is our flag that flew over Bergen Belsen concentration camp as it was liberated, a symbol of safety and freedom. That is who we will always be – and hatred and violence will never win.
The final word must remain with those who lost their lives and those who mourn them. Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz. May their memories be a blessing.”
‘I saw evil and I saw hate’: Rabbi Daniel Walker describes looking at Jihad Al-Shamie as he tried to enter the synagogue
Rabbi Daniel Walker has described the moment he ran to the foyer of the synagogue to find a “very injured man” inside and a “terrorist trying to batter his way in”.
He told the BBC that Jihad Al-Shamie body-charged the doors and threw “heavy plant pots” at them: “He was doing everything he could to get in.”
He added: “A number of us were holding the doors and making sure that he couldn’t get in, and we did that until the police arrived.”
He described looking at Al-Shamie through the window of the door. He said: “I saw evil, and I saw hate. We will not allow that to beat us.”
‘He always had a smile on his face’: friends of synagogue attack victim Melvin Cravitz pay tribute
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.”
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.”