Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has been among those paying tributes to security staff and others who responded to the Manchester synagogue terror attack of October 2.
She was speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, when asked about local, Crumpsall concerns about security after the attack on the Heaton Park synagogue that left two men dead. She said: “The Government funds the Community Security Trust [CST, a charity] with a grant of about £18m a year. We do work with the community directly who also bring on volunteers to support that security process.” She spoke also of the relationship between local police and CST, and added: “Of course we are going to look at all the arrangements for protective security and we will of course be talking to members of the community, to the CST and others to make sure we are able to meet the scale of the challenge that we have and we do everything we can to keep people safe.”
Earlier when asked about security concerns she paid tribute to the worshippers ‘who undoubtedly saved lives with their actions, because they were able to prevent the attacker from entering the synagogue and I also want to thank all the police and the emergency services for such a quick response.”
Speaking from Salford, having gone to Manchester on the day of the attack, she went on: “I have been hearing directly from the community here in Manchester but also around the country as well of the sense of devastation, the sense of fear, disappointment, and anger, deep upset as well, and I fully hear that and understand why people feel that way. It is why the Government has stepped up police resources all over the country for all synagogues but also other places of interest and parts of Jewish communal life. I want to make sure our Jewish community are able to live their lives fully and don’t have to live a smaller life to feel safe.”
CST incidents report
CST echoed the view ‘that the swift actions of security guards and volunteers, congregants and police officers at Heaton Park Synagogue prevented further casualties’. In its most recent report of anti-semitic incidents, published in August for the first half of 2025, the CST reported the second-highest total of anti-Jewish hate incidents ever recorded by CST in the first half of any year, second only to the first six months of 2024 in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
About CST
Besides gathering data the CST trains volunteer security officers for serving at synagogues and other Jewish institutions such as schools. For the latest security advice visit the CST website.
Police
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) stated that extra police officers have been deployed across the city to provide reassurance. GMP Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson in a statement said that ‘thanks to the immediate bravery of security staff and worshippers inside, and the fast response of the police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access. All those inside were safely contained until police were able to confirm that it was safe to leave the premises.’ He confirmed that GMP armed officers shot dead the attacker, ‘within seven minutes of the initial call’.
Mayor
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “Greater Manchester will never stand aside when one of our communities is attacked. We ask everyone to show solidarity to the Jewish community. Already, we have mobilised through our interfaith network messages of support and solidarity to our places of worship. We will always stand together here in Greater Manchester and we will never let acts designed to cause hatred and division in our communities succeed.”
Picture courtesy of the Home Office: Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood
