David Lammy, deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom, faced boos and heckles on Friday at a vigil for the victims of the Manchester synagogue attack that took place the day before on Yom Kippur.
Participants greeted the Labour politician with chants of “Shame on you!” and repeatedly interrupted his memorial speech, accusing Lammy of contributing to the attack.
“You enabled it every Saturday,” one man shouted, referring to anti-Israel demonstrations in London and other British cities that have been held weekly since Oct. 7.
Lammy called on the organizers of those demonstrations to suspend this weekend’s anti-Israel rally in light of the attack, in which Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, rammed his car into the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation on the Jewish holiday before trying to stab other victims with a knife.
Two men were killed in the incident, including one who was inadvertently shot by police; four others were injured, three of them seriously. The attacker, who was on bail for an alleged rape at the time, was shot and killed by law enforcement at the scene.
“For those that are considering marching over the weekend, I ask them to reflect with all human dignity, grace and understanding and to stop and to stand back,” Lammy said.
Mark Adlestone, chair of Manchester’s Jewish Representative Council, urged the crowd to let Lammy finish his remarks. “We’ve heard enough; we know how you feel, I know how I feel,” Adlestone told them.
Lammy acknowledged the protest on social media after the speech and said the government would increase security at synagogues.
“I heard the pain, anger and grief at today’s vigil after the horrific terrorist attack,” he wrote. “We stand with the Jewish community in grief and solidarity against antisemitism.”
