13 Mar 2026

Leeds City Council offers reassurance to Leeds' Jewish community after Michigan synagogue attack

Community safety

The Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis, and the executive member for communities, customer service and community safety, Councillor Asghar Khan, have issued a joint statement to reassure Leeds’ Jewish community following an attack on a synagogue in Michigan yesterday.

Councillor James Lewis and Councillor Asghar Khan said:

"This attack will be deeply worrying for Jewish communities in Leeds.

"We have been reassured by senior police colleagues that increased patrols are in place at key sites across the city, including synagogues and Jewish schools, with officers providing visible reassurance and engagement with council colleagues and other key partners.

"From a community intelligence perspective, police colleagues are also encouraging the reporting of any suspicious or concerning activity. This will be logged and be reviewed daily by the on-duty NPT Inspector.

"Leeds stands against hatred and violence in all its forms. We will continue working with partners to ensure all our communities feel safe, supported and protected."

ENDS

General advice on the reporting of hate crime or incidents can be found here: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/antisocial-behaviour-and-crime/report-a-hate-crime-or-incident

For media enquiries contact:

Leeds City Council Communications team
communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk