Leader of Leeds City Council condemns Manchester synagogue attack

Councillor James Lewis, Leader of Leeds City Council, said: “The events at the Heaton Park Synagogue this morning, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, were truly shocking, senseless, and have no place in our society. 

“My thoughts today are with the families of those who so tragically lost their lives, and I hope those injured in this horrific attack can have a speedy and complete recovery.

“While there is no known specific threat in Leeds, I know that our Jewish community will be feeling threatened by today’s events, and we will continue to work with Leeds Jewish Representative Council and CST in the days ahead. The Jewish community have welcomed me to many events and celebrations in my time as council leader. I know that there are several upcoming festivals as part of the High Holy Days, and I want to reassure our Jewish community that your safety, security and belonging in the city are important to me. 

“As a part of that reassurance, we will be implementing a multi-agency strategy to support our Jewish community, provided through Leeds City Council teams and Leeds District Police, who will also be supporting with high-visibility police patrols.”