Police bosses meet faith leaders in Hertfordshire after Manchester terrorism attack on synagogue

Faith leaders and senior police staff met to discuss racism and issues within the county, in part in response to the terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester.

Yesterday, senior officials within Hertfordshire Constabulary met in-person and virtually with leaders of religious groups within the county.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 06: A police officer gathers up floral tributes, that were layed at various points around the police cordon, to a central point outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on October 06, 2025 in Manchester, England. On Thursday morning a stabbing and car attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the Manchester suburb of Crumpsall left two people dead and four others hospitalized. The attack took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, and was declared a terrorist incident by police. The suspected attacker was shot dead by police at the scene. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

placeholder image — MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 06: A police officer gathers up floral tributes, that were layed at various points around the police cordon, to a central point outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on October 06, 2025 in Manchester, England. On Thursday morning a stabbing and car attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the Manchester suburb of Crumpsall left two people dead and four others hospitalized. The attack took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, and was declared a terrorist incident by police. The suspected attacker was shot dead by police at the scene. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Police leaders wanted to reaffirm the county’s united approach to tackling prejudice, the police force has revealed.

Hertfordshire Constabulary also confirmed that it had dealt with recent incidents of religious and racial hate crimes.

A fiercer spotlight has been placed on attacks motivated by hatred after two people were killed outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester on October 2.

On Yom Kippur, the holiest day within the Jewish calendar, two people were killed during a terrorist attack where an offender claimed to have a bomb outside the place of worship. One person was stabbed to death and another died from gunshot wounds during the incident.

One man has been arrested in connection with the killings which were widely condemned across the UK.

In Hertfordshire face-to-face meetings have been held in police stations, as well as virtual chats across Microsoft Teams, to discuss how communities can feel supported by the local force.

Chief Supt Di Whiteside chaired a meeting yesterday alongside Deputy Chief Constable Andy Mariner. They provided an update on investigations into criminal damage reported at mosques in Watford and the force’s response to the killings which shook the nation.

Chief Supt Di Whiteside said: “The open and supportive environment allowed partners to discuss concerns or raise issues with senior leaders in the constabulary, who were there to respond to questions and understand how the community is feeling at a difficult time.

“We, the police, stand together with our partners to condemn prejudice in Hertfordshire; hate crime will never be tolerated and we do – and continue to do – everything we can to support victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”

Hertfordshire Constabulary advises that hate crimes can be reported to the force by calling 101, or by making an online report.

Previously Hertfordshire Chief Constable Andy Prophet had labelled the criminal damage reported at mosques in Hertfordshire as ‘unacceptable’.