TV personality Stacey Solomon has issued an emotional statement saying being Jewish feels “scary” and “heartbreaking” following yesterday’s horrific terrorist attack at a Manchester synagogue that claimed two innocent lives. The 35-year-old Loose Women star shared her fears on Instagram after Islamist terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie targeted Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation during Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day.
The innocent victims have been named as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, both beloved members of Manchester’s Jewish community from Crumpsall. Three other Jewish worshippers remain hospitalised with serious injuries following the car-ramming and stabbing attack that has sent shockwaves through Britain’s Jewish population.
Police last night arrested two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism in connection with the deadly assault. Counter-terrorism officers raided properties in Crumpsall and Prestwich as part of the ongoing investigation.
Stacey Solomon’s Heartfelt Response
In a deeply personal statement posted on Instagram Stories on Thursday evening, the Sort Your Life Out presenter revealed how the attack had left her fearing for herself and her loved ones. Writing to her 5.9 million followers, Solomon stated: “It is heartbreaking to hear of the attack at a synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur. My thoughts & prayers are with everyone affected.”
The mother-of-five continued: “I’m also thinking of anyone right now who feels scared for themselves & their loved ones just because of who they are. Being Jewish feels scary & that is heartbreaking.”
Demonstrating the complexity of her feelings, Solomon added: “It goes without saying, although I’ve said this before, My thoughts are also with the innocent people in Gaza. Being proudly Jewish & being against the horrific attack today does not cancel the other.”
She concluded her statement acknowledging the divisive nature of the current climate: “I realise no matter what I say. Someone somewhere won’t like it. But all I really have to say is that none of this is ok.”
Rob Rinder Condemns Attack
Criminal barrister and TV personality Rob Rinder joined Solomon in condemning the attack, posting on X (formerly Twitter): “On the holiest day of the year we are attacked at a Manchester synagogue. Our children walk to school behind barbed wire protected by guns.”
The Judge Rinder star, whose grandfather survived the Holocaust, continued: “Yet some still answer this atrocity with ‘what about…’ This is my country, the sanctuary my grandfather found after surviving the Holocaust, promising freedom under the rule of law.”
The Deadly Rampage
Al-Shamie, 35, a British citizen of Syrian descent, carried out his murderous attack at 9:31am yesterday morning, approximately 30 minutes after worshippers had begun gathering for Yom Kippur services. The terrorist first rammed his black Kia Picanto hatchback into crowds of Jewish worshippers outside the synagogue before exiting the vehicle and stabbing “everyone he could get to”, according to witnesses.
Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson confirmed the attacker drove directly at members of the public before attacking people with a knife. Eyewitness Huram Rafiq described how Al-Shamie “acted like a robot”, methodically targeting anyone with a Jewish appearance.
The terrorist was wearing what appeared to be an explosive vest, though police later confirmed it was not viable. Armed officers shot Al-Shamie dead within seven minutes of the first emergency call, preventing him from entering the packed synagogue where dozens more worshippers, including children as young as six, were hiding under pews.
Victims Named as Community Mourns
Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, both residents of Crumpsall and active members of the Jewish community, were pronounced dead at the scene. Three other men remain hospitalised with serious injuries. One sustained stab wounds, another was struck by the car, whilst a third man presented himself at hospital with injuries possibly sustained as officers stopped the attacker.
Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes said: “My deepest sympathies are with Mr Daulby and Mr Cravitz’s loved ones at this extremely hard time. Specially trained Family Liaison Officers are in contact with them.”
The attack occurred on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when synagogues are particularly packed as congregants come together for lengthy services of prayer and reflection. The timing has been described as particularly devastating for the Jewish community.
Terrorist’s Background Emerges
Counter-terrorism police confirmed Al-Shamie was not previously known to authorities and had not been referred to Prevent, the government’s anti-radicalisation programme. The terrorist had lived in Greater Manchester for at least 30 years and currently resided in Prestwich, approximately two miles from the synagogue.
Videos on YouTube show Al-Shamie and his two brothers playing in the back yard of a home on Crescent Road, which is around a 20-minute walk from the synagogue he later targeted. The clips were shared by the killer’s father, Faraj Al-Shamie, who is believed to be a trauma doctor who has worked for several NGOs in warzones across the world.
Al-Shamie is understood to have worked as a tutor teaching English and computer programming. Neighbours described him as socially isolated, often seen in pyjamas and sandals carrying groceries. A neighbour in Prestwich recognised his face from photographs of the synagogue attacker, whilst another resident, Simon Barlass, 56, said he had recently seen Al-Shamie “bench pressing in his garden”.
National Response and Security Measures
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer flew back early from a summit with European leaders in Copenhagen to chair an emergency COBRA meeting. In a press conference, he described the attacker as a “vile individual” who “attacked Jews because they are Jews, and attacked Britain because of our values”.
Starmer promised the Jewish community: “I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve, starting with a more visible police presence protecting your community. I promise you that over the coming days, you will see the other Britain, the Britain of compassion, of decency, of love.”
Additional police assets have been deployed at synagogues across the country. London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced that the Metropolitan Police were stepping up patrols in Jewish communities and synagogues across the capital.
Rising Antisemitism Concerns
The attack comes against a backdrop of rising antisemitism in the UK. The Community Security Trust, which monitors anti-Jewish incidents, recorded more than 1,500 antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2025, the second-highest six-month total ever reported.
BBC Radio 4 presenter Emma Barnett, who worshipped at the Heaton Park synagogue as a child, wrote emotionally about the attack: “I cry for the community. I cry for the people who have been killed and their families. I cry out of fear and for what such hate can do. But I also cry out of sheer rage, indignation and horror.”
Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said the attack came amid an “unrelenting wave of Jew-hatred” on streets, online and in other settings. The Jewish Leadership Council and Board of Deputies of British Jews issued a joint statement saying the attack “was sadly something we feared was coming” due to rising antisemitism in the country.
Investigation Continues
The three arrested suspects remain in custody as counter-terrorism police continue their investigation. Scenes remain in place on White House Avenue, Crumpsall and Langley Crescent in Prestwich, both linked to the arrests.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said it was “too early” to determine if there was a terrorist cell behind the attack, adding: “We will redouble our efforts. We will, of course, now review all of the work that we do to tackle antisemitism.”
Assistant Metropolitan Police Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of counter-terrorism policing, described it as “an appalling attack” adding: “An attack on our Jewish community, today, on Yom Kippur, is devastating.”
Community Defiance
Despite the horror, the Jewish community showed remarkable resilience. Gary Wernick, 60, who was inside the synagogue during the attack, described how worshippers held the door shut to fend off the attacker. After the incident, the congregation continued their Yom Kippur prayers in the open street.
“Somebody brought out a load of chairs and loads of prayer books, and we sat down, and we continued our services in the street,” Wernick said. “We’re not going to allow one person to change our patterns. This is our life.”
The attack has united politicians across the spectrum in condemning the violence and expressing solidarity with the Jewish community. King Charles III and Queen Camilla said they were “deeply shocked and saddened” by the “horrific attack”, particularly “on such a significant day for the Jewish community.
As Britain’s Jewish community grapples with this latest tragedy, Solomon’s words resonate deeply: being Jewish in 2025 Britain feels scary, and that reality is indeed heartbreaking for a community that has called these islands home for centuries.
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