Yoni Finlay, a man shot during an attack on a Manchester synagogue, has said his son has since faced death threats and that “things don’t feel safer” almost a year on.
Mr Finlay was hit by a police bullet at Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue in Crumpsall on October 2 last year. He is reported to have been helping to barricade the doors as Jihad Al-Shamie targeted the place of worship.
Memorial service and community fears
Before a memorial service for the victims and survivors on Monday evening, he said the past year had not been easy but that he had been supported by friends and family.
Asked how the Jewish community is feeling almost a year on, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I don’t think things feel safer, I think we certainly live behind ever increasing gates, more security than we’ve ever had.”
Mr Finlay said that while “more” is being done to protect the Jewish community, “any event that we attend within the community, the address is never displayed on the poster”.
He added: “Jewish people are having to hide their identity, even my own son, who’s in college at the moment, has faced death threats.”
Rabbi notes growing vulnerability
Rabbi Daniel Walker, from the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, told the BBC that “we’re actually almost in a harder position than we were even immediately after the attack”.
He added: “I think the sense of vulnerability has grown. It hasn’t diminished.”
Victims and inquest details
Melvin Cravitz, 66, died from multiple knife wounds inflicted by Al-Shamie, while Adrian Daulby, 53, was struck by a single gunshot wound to the chest fired by an armed police officer scrambled to the scene at the Heaton Park Synagogue in Crumpsall.
Mr Daulby and fellow worshippers held the main door of the synagogue shut as Al-Shamie, 35, tried to force his way inside on the morning of October 2 as those gathered marked the holy day of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews.
A pre-inquest review hearing earlier this year heard that Mr Finlay was seriously injured by the same bullet that passed through the door and took Mr Daulby’s life.
