Trauma, fear and strength: Ripple effects from the Manchester synagogue terror attack

Although it was the Heaton Park Shul which Jihad Al Shamie targeted, the ripples of the attack have extended beyond just the Jewish community. 

The ‘Listening Meeting’ was organised by Lizzie Hughes from the Local Care Organisation in Cheetham.

She told LBC: “I think the biggest bit for me was about the ripple effect that the attack had had on some of the wider communities. 

“There was absolute support that went into the Jewish community in the immediate aftermath of the event. It was a synagogue in our neighbourhood; we have the largest Jewish community in Manchester that live in Crumpsall and it was really shocking. 

"The questions at the meeting include things like whether other faiths need to up their security or re-visit risk assessments, and also how to reach out to the Jewish community to become more inclusive.

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Lizzie said: “In the meeting we had a number of mosques and churches that were represented and they were asking questions about how do we risk assess so this doesn't happen to us? Is there a likelihood of another attack? People were worried that no intelligence that there were going to be any further attacks.”

She added: “The neighbourhood is incredibly diverse and people live alongside people from different faiths and different communities, and I think what played out in the meeting was that strength of community feeling, particularly reaching out to the Jewish community.”

Organisations across Manchester continue to offer support for those affected by what happened on October 2nd, Lizzie said: “We have a whole range of support offers and I think the most important message for me to say to people is, if you are anxious or worried about what happened in terms of the synagogue attack, then please reach out and get support.”

Emma Sims is from ‘Young Manchester’ and has seen the impact of the attack on children in the area.

She told LBC: “It's a really difficult thing for anyone when you know the area where it happened and you know the street and maybe that's where you walk to school or, you know people in the congregation.

“There are schools immediately around the synagogue and for kids who have seen the area or possibly seen the kind of images circulating online afterwards, that's not a fun place to be.

“We kind of expect that there will be children who have maybe kind of developed trauma or second-hand trauma from that kind of stuff, and it’s worth saying there is significant help in the community for those young people both targeted within the schools but also more broadly and that that offer doesn't expire. That help is there as and when anyone needs it.

The inevitable consequence of any attack on a community, is that people become more hesitant to do the things they did before, and Emma says that is reflected in the numbers of people attending events.

She said: “I think it has had a knock-on effect in terms of people's feelings of safety in the community and particularly for young people and parents. Now we are in darker evenings as well, parents maybe don't want their kids to go to provision as much and kind of access those safe youth spaces that we've put on. That is something that we're kind of working really hard to try and resolve.”

Lesmond Taylor is the Volunteer Manager at The Rainbow Centre where children found themselves locked down during the synagogue attack, he told LBC: “We were seeing the ambulances and the police cars and wondering what on earth is going on.

“I just couldn't believe it. We are a very close-knit community, very supportive community, a very intelligent community by way of how we work together and understand each other and also give each other space, so to hear of that sort of attack taking place here, really, really shocked, really surprised everyone.

“Roads were blocked off so people couldn't go out to get their kids and they had to be escorted by the police to the schools to pick up their kids. The kids were in school across the road, not too far from the incident and the kids themselves obviously traumatised seeing their parents with the police. Obviously, the kids have been locked down in school as well, so that’s even more trauma.”

While physically unharmed, the psychological scars may take time to fade for many young children who witnessed what happened. Lesmond added: “The parents are just trying to talk the kids through what's happened, what's gone on, and for days the parents wouldn’t come out of their homes nor allow their kids out. So it was, you know, everybody was on lockdown, literally. And I guess from that particular incident a lot of kids are still even traumatised now.

“The beauty of what happened was really touching in that we gathered around pretty quickly to support the Jewish community. So for example, at meetings people have just brought food along. People have just come along and been a shoulder to cry on. People have been there to offer other ways of helping people and supporting people.

"I think Manchester is becoming a more trauma informed city and, I think the fact that we've come together in different circles in different areas and at the behest sometimes of the Jewish community, they've just called out and people have been there and that's communities of all different faith as well as non, and people have just literally offered support.”

There is a lot of support available to anyone who is struggling with the effects of the recent terrorist attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, and any other memories it may have triggered.

The details of the support can be found on this web page: gmintegratedcare.org.uk/traumasupport