Ax-wielding man threatens Jews near Manchester synagogue

A man carrying an ax made anti-Semitic threats to a group of Jews in a suburb of Manchester in northern England on Rosh Hashanah.

The man reportedly was inside a vehicle close to a synagogue in the suburb of Prestwich when he made the threats on Oct. 3, according to The Manchester Evening News.

Police were called to the scene, and later the same day arrested a 45-year-old man suspected of possessing a weapon and committing a racially motivated public order crime.

The man was let out on bail until Oct. 31.

A shopping area in Prestwich, Manchester (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0)

“This was unfortunately a very ugly incident and we are glad that the police response has been so speedy and correct,” said a spokesman for the Jewish group Community Security Trust, The Manchester Evening News said.

Local police said the incident was still under investigation.

Prestwich is home to a thriving Jewish community, served by several kosher supermarkets, butchers and clothing shops catering to the modest standards of observant women.