Yesterday (October 2), it was reported that two people had died in a horrific attack outside of a synagogue in Manchester, close to Heaton Park. Members of the public have been asked by the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to avoid the area whilst they continue to deal with the incident. As a result, several road closures and bus diversions are in place in the Manchester area until further notice.
What happened?
The incident occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish religious calendar. The GMP reported an incident outside a synagogue on Middleton Road in Manchester on the morning of Thursday 2nd October, which they are currently responding to.
According to the GMP, the police were called to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, on Middleton Road, Crumpsall, at 9.31am ysterday by a member of the public, stating he had witnessed a car being driven towards members of the public, and one man had been stabbed.
Firearms officers were then deployed as police continued to receive further reports from members of the public that a security guard had been attacked with a knife. GMP declared PLATO, which means terrorism could be involved; however, police no longer consider there to be an active threat.
Shots were fired by Greater Manchester Police firearms officers at 9.38am on October 2. One man was shot, believed to be the offender. Paramedics then arrived at the scene soon after and tended to members of the public, currently four members of the public have injuries caused by both the vehicle and stab wounds.
Which roads are closed due to the Manchester synagogue attack?
A large area near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue is currently cordoned off. Middleton Road is shut between Bury Old Road and Sheepfoot Lane.
Crumpsall Lane is also closed between Middleton Road and Ansleigh Avenue.
Which bus stops are closed due to the Manchester synagogue attack?
Since 10.14am on October 2, bus services 41 and 59 have been affected by the Manchester Synagogue attack. Services are being diverted via Manchester New Road, Rochdale Road and Shudehill in both directions until further notice.
- Crescent Road / Abraham Moss Centre (Stop A)
- Crescent Road / Abraham Moss Centre (Stop B)
- Cheetham Hill R / nr Albyns Avenue
- Cheetham Hill Road / opp Albyns Avenue
- Waterloo Road / adj Alderglen Road
- Waterloo Road / nr Alderglen Road
- Middleton Road / nr Ardern Road
- Middleton Road / opp Ardern Road
- Crescent Road / Arlington Street (Stop M)
- Crescent Road / nr Ash Tree Road
- Crescent Road / opp Ash Tree Road
- Cheetham Hill Road / nr Balmfield Street
- Cheetham Hill Road / opp Balmfield Street
- Plant Hill Road / opp Bank House Road
- Riverdale Road / nr Bantry Drive
- Riverdale Road / opp Bantry Drive
- Waterloo Road / nr Barrow Hill Road
- Waterloo Road / opp Barrow Hill Road
- Waterloo Road / nr Beckenham Road
- Cheetham Hill Road / nr Bignor Street
- Cheetham Hill Road / opp Bignor Street
- Middleton Road / adj Blackley New Road
- Middleton Road / nr Blackley New Road
- Manchester Old Road / nr Bonny Brow Street
- Manchester Old Road / opp Bonny Brow Street
- Chapel Lane / nr Bowfell Grove
- Middleton Road / Bowker Vale Metrolink Stop (Stop A)
- Middleton Road / Bowker Vale Metrolink Stop (Stop B)
- Waterloo Road / nr Brentfield Avenue
- Waterloo Road / opp Brentfield Avenue
- Riverdale Road / nr Bridgnorth Road
- Riverdale Road / opp Bridgnorth Road
- Manchester Old Road / nr Broad Street
- Manchester Old Road / opp Broad Street
- Bank House Road / nr Carley Grove
- Bank House Road / opp Carley Grove
- Chapel Lane / nr Castlemere Road
- Chapel Lane / nr Castlemere Road
- Middleton Road / Catherine Road (Stop C)
- Middleton Road / Catherine Road (Stop D)
- Victoria Avenue / nr Cecil Road
- Victoria Avenue / opp Cecil Road
- Thomas Street / Cheetham Hill Shopping Centre (Stop K)
- Waterloo Road / Cheetwood Primary School (Stop E)
- Cheetham Hill Road / nr Copthall Lane
- Cheetham Hill Road / Copthall Lane (Stop L)
- Chapel Lane / nr Crab Lane
- Chapel Lane / opp Crab Lane
- Arlington Street / Cravenwood Road (Stop N)
- Manchester Old Road / nr Croft Gates Road
- Manchester Old Road / opp Croft Gates Road
- Ash Tree Road / nr Crumpsall Lane
- Delaunays Road / opp Crumpsall Lane
- Crumpsall Lane / Crumpsall Metrolink Stop (Stop A)
- Crumpsall Lane / Crumpsall Metrolink Stop (Stop B)
- Ash Tree Road / o/s Crumpsall Park
- Ash Tree Road / opp Crumpsall Park
- Crumpsall Lane / nr Delaunays Road
- Cheetham Hill Road / adj Derby Street
- Cheetham Hill Road / nr Derby Street
- Cheetham Hill Road / nr Elizabeth Street
- Cheetham Hill Road / opp Elizabeth Street
- Blackley New Road / nr Ellbourne Road
- Blackley New Road / opp Ellbourne Road
- Waterloo Road / nr Elvate Crescent
- Waterloo Road / opp Elvate Crescent
- Manchester Old Road / nr Foxton Street
- Manchester Old Road / opp Foxton Street
- Bury Old Road / George Street North (Stop G)
- Bury Old Road / George Street North (Stop H)
- Middleton Road / nr Heaton Park Road West
- Middleton Road / opp Heaton Park Road West
- Victoria Avenue / o/s Higher Blackley Community Centre
- Victoria Avenue / opp Higher Blackley Community Centre
- Waterloo Road / o/s Hightown Post Office
- Waterloo Road / opp Hightown Post Office
- Victoria Avenue / nr Hill Lane
- Victoria Avenue / Hill Lane (Stop A)
- Waterloo Road / Hodgson Street (Stop F)
- Crescent Road / nr Humphrey Street
- Crescent Road / opp Humphrey Street
- Riverdale Road / nr Inchcape Drive
- Riverdale Road / opp Inchcape Drive
- Bury New Road / Jury Street (Stop D)
- Middleton Road / nr Kelvin Avenue
- Manchester Old Road / opp Kelvin Avenue
- Manchester Old Road / nr Kings Drive
- Manchester Old Road / opp Kings Drive
- Blackley New Road / nr Lakeside Rise
- Blackley New Road / opp Lakeside Rise
- Manchester Old Road / o/s Limefield Park
- Manchester Old Road / opp Limefield Park
- Tweedle Hill Road / nr Longhurst Road
- Tweedle Hill Road / opp Longhurst Road
- Manchester New / Middleton Bus Station (Stand F)
- Manchester New / Middleton Bus Station (Stand L)
- Blackley New Road / Middleton Road (Stop C)
- Blackley New Road / Middleton Road (Stop D)
- Delaunays Road / North Manchester General Hospital (Stop A)
- Crumpsall Way / North Manchester General Hospital (Stop C)
- Middleton Road / nr Old Hall Lane
- Middleton Road / opp Old Hall Lane
- Middleton Road / opp Oldham College
- Cheetham Hill Road / nr Park Place
- Cheetham Hill Road / opp Park Place
- Manchester Old Road / o/s Peterloo Medical Centre
- Victoria Avenue / nr Plant Hill Road
- Victoria Avenue / opp Plant Hill Road
- Crumpsall Lane / nr Polygon Road
- Crumpsall Lane / opp Polygon Road
- Corporation Street / Printworks (Stop NK)
- Corporation Street / Printworks (Stop NP)
- Cheetham Hill Road / adj Queens Road
- Middleton Road / adj Sheepfoot Lane
- Middleton Road / opp Sheepfoot Lane
- Cheetham Hill Road / nr Shirley Road
- Cheetham Hill Road / opp Shirley Road
- Bury Old Road / Shopping Centre (Stop J)
- Cheetham Hill Road / o/s St Chad’s Catholic Church
- Cheetham Hill Road / opp St Chad’s Catholic Church
- Great Ducie Street / o/s Strangeways
- Great Ducie Street / opp Strangeways
- Crumpsall Lane / o/s The Cleveland
- Crumpsall Lane / opp The Cleveland
- Great Ducie Street / adj Trinity Way
- Middleton Road / nr Victoria Avenue
- Middleton Road / opp Victoria Avenue
- Corporation Street / Victoria Rail Station (Stop NR)
- Corporation Street / Victoria Rail Station (Stop NU)
- Todd Street / Victoria Rail Station (Stop NW)
- Victoria Station Approach / Victoria Rail Station (Stop NY)
- Victoria Avenue / Walker Road (Stop B)
- Tweedle Hill Road / nr Wavertree Road
- Tweedle Hill Road / opp Wavertree Road
- Middleton Road / nr Wilton Road
- Middleton Road / opp Wilton Road
- Cheetham Hill Road / nr Woodlands Street
- Cheetham Hill R / opp Woodlands Street
- Bank House Road / nr Wroxham Road
- Bank House Road / opp Wroxham Road
The 717 bus service has also been impacted, with services being diverted via Ashtree Road, Crescent Road and Cheetham Hill Road.
The following bus stops have been impacted:
- Middleton Road / Catherine Road (Stop C)
- Middleton Road / Catherine Road (Stop D)
- Crumpsall Lane / Crumpsall Metrolink Stop (Stop A)
- Crumpsall Lane / Crumpsall Metrolink Stop (Stop B)
- Crumpsall Lane / nr Delaunays Road
- Bury Old Road / George Street North (Stop G)
- Bury Old Road / George Street North (Stop H)
- Crumpsall Lane / nr Polygon Road
- Crumpsall Lane / opp Polygon Road
- Bury Old Road / Shopping Centre (Stop J)
- Crumpsall Lane / o/s The Cleveland
- Crumpsall Lane / opp The Cleveland
“Our thoughts are with those who have been killed and seriously injured, their loved ones and with everyone who has been affected by this awful incident.”
Council Leader Bev Craig said: “We are all horrified by this shocking and reprehensible attack on members of Manchester’s Jewish community, on their holiest day.
“Our thoughts are with those who have been killed and seriously injured, their loved ones and with everyone who has been affected by this awful incident.
“We have been supporting our local community throughout the morning and offer our full support and love.
“We will be working Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and our local communities in the hours ahead to offer support and reassurance. Manchester stands with our Jewish community at this darkest of moments, and will come together as a city.”
“We will always stand against hatred and we offer our Jewish friends solidarity and our full support at this time.”
Councillors Nasrin Ali, Jawad Amin and Fiaz Riasat in Crumpsall have released a joint statement: “Today, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, should have been a special time for our Jewish communities – a time of reflection, atonement and peace. Instead, Crumpsall has been shocked by the horrifying and senseless attack on a place of worship – an act that we condemn in the strongest possible terms.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, along with the entire Jewish community in Manchester and further afield.
“We will always stand against hatred and we offer our Jewish friends solidarity and our full support at this time.”
Article published on October 2 and last updated on October 3.