Manchester Synagogue victims honoured – but TUV’s Gaston gagged in heated debate on Jewish hate

Sinn Féin Principal Deputy Speaker, Carál Ní Chuilín, and Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston

In a tense exchange that underscored deepening divisions over antisemitism and extremism in the UK, Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston was repeatedly called to order during a Northern Ireland Assembly session today.

Gaston had secured a “matter of the day” to address the brutal attack on Manchester’s Jewish community last week – an assault that claimed two lives and left three others critically injured on the sacred day of Yom Kippur.

Yet, his efforts to highlight what he described as the unignorable threat of Islamic extremism were abruptly curtailed by the Sinn Féin Principal Deputy Speaker, Carál Ní Chuilín, sparking accusations of bias in the chamber.

The incident unfolded against the backdrop of a synagogue stabbing in Manchester on Thursday, 2 October – coinciding with Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, known to Christians as the Day of Atonement.

Eyewitness accounts and police reports detailed a harrowing scene: two men lost their lives while heroically shielding others, and three more sustained serious wounds.

The attacker, a British citizen of Syrian origin who was reportedly out on bail for an alleged rape, has been named in connection with the violence, prompting urgent questions about community safety and radicalisation.

Gaston, speaking with measured outrage, paid solemn tribute to the victims’ bravery.

“I pay tribute to the courage of those who died protecting their family, friends and neighbours,” he stated, his voice cutting through the chamber.

But he insisted that condolences alone were insufficient.

“There is a need for more than words,” he urged, drawing a stark parallel to biblical solemnity. “In the Old Testament, we remember the slaughter of a goat on that day and the sprinkling of its blood in the Holy of Holies. Last week, Jewish blood stained the streets of Manchester as two men were murdered and three others were seriously injured.”

The MLA’s intervention quickly escalated as he turned his attention to the broader context fuelling such hatred. For years, he argued, anti-Israel protests across the UK have harboured antisemitic undercurrents, with demonstrators brandishing placards and chanting slogans that perpetuate “harmful Jewish stereotypes”.

Even in the immediate aftermath of the Manchester tragedy, Gaston claimed, the inflammatory rhetoric persisted. He recounted writing to the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Chief Constable on Friday, following reports of chants at an illegal roadblock on York Street in Belfast: “We got two.”

Such language, he contended, exemplified a toxic climate that demands accountability.

Gaston’s critique extended to his fellow Assembly members, whom he accused of downplaying the gravity of these events. He expressed regret that “members of this House, including a member of the Alliance Party,” had sought to “contextualise these illegal protests”.

On Yom Kippur eve, he argued, “decency should have kept protesters in the house on Thursday night of all nights”. He specifically called out the South Belfast Alliance representative for failing to condemn the demonstrations outright, labelling it a “shame”.

The debate took a particularly acrimonious turn when Gaston referenced a recent member’s statement praising the Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, following the collapse of a legal case against one of its members.

The charges? Displaying a Hezbollah flag – a symbol of the Lebanon-based militant group proscribed in the UK for its terrorist activities. Gaston highlighted the group’s leader’s chilling words:

“If all the Jews gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of chasing them around the world.”

Undeterred by interruptions, he pressed:

“What were they accused of? Displaying a Hezbollah flag.” Yet, he lamented, “this reality has not caused some to reconsider their open support for Kneecap. Too often, journalists fail to press supporters on these uncomfortable facts.”

As Gaston’s remarks gained momentum, the Principal Deputy Speaker – Sinn Féin member Carál Ní Chuilín – interjected repeatedly, directing him to “take your seat” no fewer than eight times in quick succession.

The exchanges grew fractious, with Gaston retorting:

“It seems, Principal Deputy Speaker, that you do not want to hear from people who have opposing views on the subject.”

He accused the chair of failing to maintain neutrality:

“You cannot be neutral on this. You have done this a number of times today, Principal Deputy Speaker. You do not deserve to be in the Chair if you cannot be neutral.”

The Speaker responded curtly: “OK. That is your opinion.”

Order was eventually called amid rising tempers, with the Principal Deputy Speaker acknowledging:

“You brought this very important Matter of the Day to the House.”

Gaston, undaunted, shot back: “Absolutely, and you will not even let me —.”

What followed was a truncated address, but sources close to the TUV MLA have shared the full text he intended to deliver – a clarion call for reflection and reform.

In it, Gaston reiterated the outrage of the assault:

“The attack on the Manchester synagogue on Thursday was an outrageous assault on our Jewish community, occurring on the holiest day in their calendar.”

He emphasised the spiritual weight of Yom Kippur:

“Yom Kippur — better known to Christians as the Day of Atonement — is a time when sin is recalled and repented of.”

Turning to the attacker’s profile, Gaston did not mince words:

“The attacker was a Muslim, out on bail for an alleged rape. While a British citizen, he was of Syrian origin. The danger of Islamic extremism can no longer be ignored.”

He implored his colleagues:

“On days like today, it is right that we express sympathy for victims. But some in this House should also take this moment to reflect on their support for groups and protests linked to antisemitic extremism. Silence or inaction in the face of these realities is unacceptable.”

The episode has ignited fresh debate in Northern Ireland’s political corridors, where sensitivities around Israel-Palestine, community relations, and free speech have long simmered.

Supporters of Gaston praise his forthrightness in confronting what they see as creeping extremism.

As the Jewish community in Manchester and beyond grapples with grief – bolstered by interfaith vigils and messages of solidarity from across the UK – Gaston’s silenced voice echoes a broader plea.

In an era of polarised discourse, can elected representatives bridge divides without stifling dissent? For now, the Assembly chamber remains a microcosm of the nation’s unresolved fractures.