Manchester United will pay tribute to the victims of Thursday's attack at the Heaton Park Synagogue during their game against Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday. The club's gesture is a mark of respect for the Jewish community in Manchester following the tragic incident that resulted in the deaths of two people and injuries to three others.
The attack occurred on Thursday morning at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester. Reports indicate that a man drove a car into members of the public before proceeding to stab people. The perpetrator, identified as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot dead by armed police at the scene.
The two men killed in the attack have been identified as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, both local residents. Three other people were injured and remain in hospital.
Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that one of the victims who died suffered a gunshot wound, which may have been a result of police action. Chief Constable Stephen Watson indicated that the victim may have been struck by a bullet fired by officers responding to the attack, calling it a "tragic and unforeseen consequence". He noted that both suspected gunshot victims "were close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry".
In response to the attack, Manchester United will observe a minute's silence before the game against Sunderland and the team will wear black armbands to honor the victims. These tributes will be replicated across all of Manchester United's fixtures this weekend, including the women's, Under-21s, and Under-18s teams. A minute's silence was also held at the Progress of Unity Stadium on Friday night before the United Women's game against Chelsea.
Manchester United Head Coach Ruben Amorim expressed his sympathy for the victims during a press conference. "It is a crazy world we are living in at the moment, a lot of these things are happening," Amorim said. "Of course, our sympathies for the victims and we will pay tribute tomorrow, but it is a crazy world in this moment".
The attack has been widely condemned, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer visiting the scene and describing it as a "dreadful attack, a terrorist attack to inflict fear, attacking Jews because they are Jews". The UN Secretary-General António Guterres also strongly condemned the attack, calling it "particularly heinous" for targeting a synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
The Greater Manchester Police have increased their presence in Jewish communities, including North Manchester, Bury, and Salford. Increased visits to local places of worship are also planned.
