His comments follow Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pledge of increased police protection for the Jewish community: “I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security you deserve, starting with a more visible police presence, protecting your community.”
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A family embrace on the street following the terrorist attack at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester on October 2, 2025 (Image: Getty)Getty Images
With the High Holy Days continuing in the coming weeks, and increased numbers expected at synagogues across the UK, CST is also urging heightened community vigilance.
It has advised synagogues to keep doors closed and avoid gatherings outside indefinitely.
Gardner said: “In the immediate, we need for more visible policing, more armed response vehicles and more security guards, whether they are paid for by government grants or provided by us in the community, or CST together with groups like Shomrim [a volunteer security organisation in the Charedi community].
“It is absolutely tragic that it takes people to be killed and murdered for such things to be enhanced.”
He outlined three additional tiers of potential security: uniformed police outside synagogues, armed officers stationed there, and – in an extreme case – the deployment of the army.
While some European countries already post armed guards and soldiers outside synagogues, Gardner said he hopes the UK does not reach that point.
“There are very important differences between Britain and most European countries. Our police are not armed. There are countries in Europe where synagogues have the army stationed outside them.
"I don't want to see a situation where our community wants to have a tank outside a synagogue, but if we felt that was necessary, then we would call for it.”
Instead, CST is calling for more regular police patrols in Jewish areas and around synagogues, including an increase in armed vehicle patrols.
The rapid arrival of armed police at the Manchester synagogue was reportedly due to a pre-agreed policing plan for the High Holy Days.
The security doors at the synagogue also played a crucial role in preventing further loss of life. CST works closely with synagogues to ensure such protective measures are in place.
Gardner said that worst-case scenario protocols, developed in collaboration with the authorities, were activated during the attack.
“I spoke with the head of UK Counter-Terrorism yesterday morning. Already they were rolling out the extent of policing plans that had been agreed in advance.”
These measures include faster emergency response times for synagogues and increased presence of armed units on religious holidays.
Armed police and emergency responders gather near the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester (Photo: Getty)Getty Images
He praised the UK’s counter-terror police, calling them “the best in the world” and “extremely professional”.
Gardner also emphasised that CST’s core mission is to ensure British Jews can live normal lives in the UK. Since October 7, amid soaring antisemitism, the trust has aimed to present “a strong, united front against antisemitism and terrorism.”
“We’ve done everything we can to not inject fear into our community but rather to lead by example, standing strong, standing proud, telling it how it is, but not telling people it is the fault of the police or the government, and not telling people that they need to run away to live in another country.”
However, Gardner pointed to challenges beyond policing.
“We want to see very strong actions by the government against extremism. We want to see quicker arrests. But a lot of the problems lie within the judiciary and regulatory bodies.
“When people criticise the police or the government, they should pay more attention to where cases end up and how we then get defeated in courts and tribunals.”
On the issue of the upcoming anti-Israel march planned for Saturday in central London, Gardner said he would like to see them banned, at least in the immediate aftermath of the Manchester attack, but acknowledged the legal challenge in doing so.
“I would be delighted to see the marches banned, certainly this weekend. Going forward, there needs to be a serious rethink on legislation and how incredibly difficult it is to have these things moved, never mind banned.
“We’ve had a huge effort trying to get marches moved from Jewish areas – and we’ve succeeded in that – but having them banned is another level of work.”
The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has likewise called for the weekend demonstration to be called off, saying: “They could have given a community that has suffered just a day or two to process what has happened.”
“Just because you have the freedom to protest doesn’t mean you have to use it,” she added. “I would still call on people to show some love and some solidarity to the families of those who have been murdered and to our Jewish community.”
The President of the Board of Deputies, Phil Rosenberg, also called for those planning the demonstration to “fall back”.
Speaking to Sky News, Rosenberg said the anti-Israel demonstrations in Manchester in the hours after the attack showed the “rotten core" of parts of the Palestine protest movement.
“Many people who want to protest on this cause do so for the right reason, but those who seek to organise protests when these tragedies happen and don’t think this is the time to fall back – that is a real problem.”
He pointed to the fact that the first application for a Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest at the start of the Gaza War was submitted while terrorists were still on a rampage in southern Israel on October 7 2023.
“This shows a latent antisemitism and even a support for terror because they don’t see it as a responsibility to fall back.”
Rosenberg added that the government and police might need “more powers” to “take account of the situation”.
His comments come as organisers of Saturday’s planned protest, Defend Our Juries, have ignored calls from the Metropolitan Police and Home Secretary to delay or cancel their demonstration.
Asking the group to cancel Saturday’s rally, the Met Police said it will take essential resources away from the Jewish community during a time of heightened fear.
“By choosing to encourage mass law breaking on this scale, Defend Our Juries are drawing resources away from the communities of London at a time when they are needed most. We urge them to do the responsible thing and delay or cancel their plans,” the Met said.
