Shock and sorrow swept across Britain last week after a deadly terror attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, left two Jewish men dead on October 2, 2025. The incident, which unfolded during Yom Kippur—the holiest day in the Jewish calendar—has since become the center of a heated debate over the boundaries of protest, the dangers of political rhetoric, and the struggle to balance security with civil liberties.
According to The Herald and The Irish News, the victims—Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53—were killed when Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian origin, attacked worshippers with his car and a knife before being shot dead by police. The attack left three others hospitalized and a congregation reeling in grief. The timing and location of the assault—targeting a synagogue on a sacred day—intensified the sense of shock and vulnerability within Jewish communities throughout the UK.
But as vigils and prayers were held for the victims, political controversy quickly erupted. On October 6, Timothy Gaston, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), stood before Stormont and claimed that pro-Palestine protestors in Belfast had celebrated the Manchester killings. Gaston alleged that, during a protest on York Street on the evening of October 2, demonstrators chanted, "we got two," in apparent reference to the deaths in Manchester. "I want to pay tribute to the courage of those who died protecting their family, friends and their neighbours," Gaston said. "But there is a need for more than words. The danger of Islamic extremism can no longer be ignored."
He continued, "Even after Thursday, that rhetoric didn't stop. On Friday, I wrote to the Chief Constable after being advised that, at an illegal roadblock at York Street, there were chants of, 'We got two'. Shame!" Gaston’s remarks, which linked the attack to broader concerns about "Islamic extremism" and anti-Israeli protests, were met with immediate condemnation from across the political spectrum.
However, the facts surrounding the alleged Belfast protest quickly came under scrutiny. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) stated it was unaware of any protest on the evening of October 2, confirming that the York Street demonstration had actually ended by 8:24 a.m.—more than an hour before Manchester police even received the first call about the synagogue attack at 9:31 a.m. News of the deaths was not widely reported until after midday. The PSNI later confirmed it had received a letter from an elected representative on October 3, detailing offensive chants allegedly overheard at a protest in Belfast on the evening of October 2, but added, “Enquiries are underway to establish if a crime has been committed.”
Gaston and the TUV maintained that they had received a report about the alleged chants and had relayed this information to police, first claiming it was via letter and later clarifying it was by phone call. The party stood by Gaston's comments about "Islamic extremism," asserting, “Of course it is appropriate to speak of Islamic terrorism when an incident is carried out by an Islamic terrorist.” They further linked the attacker’s motives to radical beliefs expressed in the Hamas Charter, stating, “It is a fact that the terrorist taken out on Thursday was an Islamic terrorist – motivated by the same radical beliefs spelt out in the Hamas Charter.”
Other political figures were quick to push back. People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll accused Gaston of stoking Islamophobia and called for an urgent clarification of the remarks. "Rhetoric about 'Islamic extremism' conflates individual terrorist acts with an entire religion, which in turn normalises Islamophobia and stokes up hatred. This is unacceptable behaviour from any public representative," Carroll said. He also challenged the veracity of the alleged celebration, noting, “The accusation made by the complainant to the TUV that pro-Palestine protestors at York Street celebrated the attack on the synagogue appears blatantly untrue, given that the protest dispersed well before the Manchester attack was reported to police.”
SDLP North Belfast Councillor Carl Whyte echoed these concerns, saying, “There has been no reporting that any such comments were made at this north Belfast protest and a clear statement from the police that this protest ended before the tragic incident in Manchester. Timothy Gaston must urgently clarify his comments and withdraw them if he cannot provide proof.”
Amid the political crossfire, a powerful statement emerged from within the Jewish community itself. On October 7, over 120 British Jews, academics, rabbis, and allies published a letter in The Herald condemning both the violence in Manchester and the "weaponisation" of their grief to suppress pro-Palestinian protest. The signatories, including members of the Scottish Universities Jewish Staff Network and the Jewish Voice for Labour, wrote, “We therefore absolutely reject the weaponisation of the attack to suppress protests against the genocide in Gaza. Many, including the Home Secretary, would seek to link the memory of those killed in Manchester to their own desire to repress support for Palestine. Doing so diminishes the memory of the victims.”
The statement went on to denounce any attempt to connect the Manchester attack to pro-Palestinian activism in the UK as “unfounded, irresponsible, and dangerous.” It warned that such claims “risk criminalising legitimate political expression, deepening social polarisation, and diverting attention from the real causes of insecurity.” The authors emphasized, “Jewish security will never be achieved by silencing Palestinian voices; it will only be achieved through justice, accountability, and the building of genuine solidarity between communities.”
At a demonstration in Manchester on October 4, JVL member Robert Lizar underscored the importance of mourning all victims, regardless of background. The letter also highlighted that on the same day as the Manchester attack, at least 53 people were killed in Gaza. “We mourn them all. May all their memories be a blessing,” the signatories wrote.
The statement also took aim at the British Government, arguing that the rise in anti-Semitism in Britain is “not driven by solidarity with Palestinians, but is directly connected to the British Government’s complicity in the ongoing genocide in Palestine.” By linking Jewish life in the UK to the actions of Israel, the government, they argued, has fostered division and mistrust. The letter concluded by denouncing all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism, and reaffirming the need for justice and solidarity.
As the PSNI continues its inquiries into the alleged chants in Belfast, the controversy highlights the complex interplay of grief, politics, and identity in Britain today. With emotions running high, the debate over how best to respond to terrorism—without curtailing legitimate protest or inflaming social tensions—remains as urgent as ever.
The events of October 2 have left scars and sparked soul-searching across communities. But as voices from all sides call for clarity, evidence, and compassion, the path forward may lie in the very solidarity and dialogue that so many are now urging.
