Manchester is once again grappling with the aftermath of a devastating terror attack, this time targeting the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue on Thursday, October 2, 2025. The assault, which saw a man ram a car into pedestrians and then attack them with a knife, left two people dead and at least three others seriously wounded, according to the Associated Press. The city, already no stranger to tragedy, has responded with a mixture of shock, defiance, and a renewed sense of unity.
The attack occurred just eight years after the infamous Manchester Arena bombing during an Ariana Grande concert, which killed 22 people and injured many more. The city also remembers the 1996 IRA bombing outside a shopping mall that injured over 200, and a similar attack in 1992. While such incidents remain rare in the UK, Manchester has, as BBC Radio Manchester listeners put it, become “all too familiar with tragedy.”
On Friday, October 3, 2025, the day after the synagogue attack, the city’s visible shock began to morph into anger and determination. A large crowd gathered near the synagogue for a vigil, laying bouquets of flowers and sharing messages of solidarity. “Manchester people are strong and we will rally together as we always do,” read one note. Another declared, “We are Manchester and we will come together to get through this awful act of terror. Stay strong.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, speaking at the vigil, encapsulated the city’s spirit: “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. That is the permanent principle, the firm foundation on which this city region has been built by you, by us, by everyone here over centuries. That is who we are and we will not let this break us in any way, shape or form.”
Yet, not all voices at the vigil were united. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was heckled by some in the crowd, a sign of the raw emotions and political tensions that often follow such tragedies.
The attack’s immediate aftermath saw Manchester’s emergency services stretched to their limits. At 3pm on the day of the attack, the BBC reported that members of the public were urged to avoid A&E departments in Greater Manchester unless in need of urgent treatment, so hospitals could focus on caring for the victims. This temporary restriction sparked controversy and ignited a fierce debate about equity and discrimination in healthcare access.
Dr. Rahmeh Aladwan, a trauma and orthopaedics doctor of British-Palestinian descent, took to social media to criticize the decision. She wrote, “The decision effectively places a specific community’s security above the healthcare of the entire population, creating a dangerous and discriminatory precedent.” In another post, she questioned, “Why is there such exceptionalism for Jews?” referencing the lack of similar measures following the stabbing of an Imam in London on September 22, 2025—a crime that police said was not treated as a hate crime and resulted in non-life threatening injuries.
Aladwan went further, sharing posts that accused the media of “Jewish supremacism” and suggested that the focus on the synagogue attack was disproportionate compared to violence elsewhere, such as in Gaza. One post she shared stated, “Apparently, the lives of 4 Jews in Manchester are more significant than 53 lives of Muslims in Gaza. This is racism and Jewish supremacism. This is Western civilisation.” Another post she reposted argued that attacks on “pro-Israel Zionist synagogues” should not surprise or horrify anyone, blaming Israel’s actions for hate directed at Jews worldwide.
Her comments drew swift condemnation. Health Secretary Wes Streeting called them “racist and sickening,” adding, “The NHS is a universal health service, which means that everyone, regardless of race, religion, or creed, should feel safe seeking its care. Doctors making racist comments about Jewish people at any time, let alone in the wake of a despicable and deadly attack on our nation’s Jewish community, is sickening and demands action.” Streeting further stated his lack of confidence in the medical regulation system, especially after the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) recently refused to restrict Aladwan’s registration following previous allegations about her conduct online.
The General Medical Council had referred Aladwan to the MPTS, urging an interim order restricting her ability to practice while a full investigation was carried out. However, the tribunal ruled that the evidence did not “establish that there may be a real risk to patients.” Aladwan, who is not currently working in the NHS, defended her posts as free speech and denied any antisemitism or incitement to harm. “We are against supremacy, privilege and exceptionalism for anyone and that includes the Jewish community,” she said in response to media inquiries. She added, “Nothing I have ever said or written can be described as antisemitic or anti-Jew hatred, and as long as my speech does not incite harm, which mine never does … then we should be free to speak. It is a basic human right.”
Members of the Jewish Medical Association disagreed, describing Aladwan’s posts as “egregious Jew hatred,” particularly in the aftermath of the targeted murders of Jews on Yom Kippur. Dr. Fiona Sim, a member of the association, remarked, “Surely even our medical regulators must recognise the doctor’s comments in the aftermath of targeted terrorist murders of Jews on Yom Kippur as egregious Jew hatred.”
Streeting has since instructed Department of Health officials to draft amendments to health legislation that would explicitly prohibit NHS staff from making racist statements. The controversy has reignited debates about the balance between free speech and hate speech, as well as the responsibilities of medical professionals in public discourse.
Meanwhile, the people of Manchester have found ways to channel their grief and anger into solidarity. The city’s famed soccer teams, Manchester United and Manchester City, paid tribute to the victims. On Saturday, October 4, 2025, fans observed a minute’s silence before kickoff, and players wore black armbands as a mark of respect. Manchester United’s women’s team did the same during their Friday match against Chelsea at the Progress with Unity Stadium in Leigh, Greater Manchester.
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, knows the pain of such attacks all too well. His wife and two daughters were present at the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 but escaped unharmed. Reflecting on the city’s response, he told the BBC, “When this kind of thing happens it shows the best of us. … It needs open arms to go in there and try to help them.”
Manchester’s response to terror has long been symbolized by the worker bee—an emblem of resilience and unity. Survivors like Cath Hill, who escaped the 2017 bombing with her son, recall the city’s instant and overwhelming solidarity. “That really stands out to me as what made us different. … That sense of, ‘We won’t be divided,’” she told the Associated Press. Debra Green, executive director of Redeeming Our Communities, echoed this sentiment, highlighting Manchester’s “huge, compassionate heart” and its determination to “show love in action.”
As the city mourns, debates about healthcare, free speech, and the fight against hate continue to swirl. But Manchester’s enduring spirit—tested by tragedy, yet unbroken—remains its most powerful answer to those who seek to divide it.
