Racists brandishing swastikas hijack Zoom service at synagogue featured in BBC drama

The synagogue featured in the BBC’s new Nazi drama had its Zoom service hijacked by racists bearing swastikas.

Greater Manchester Police has launched an investigation after the Friday night service at Manchester Reform Synagogue was infiltrated by people showing swastikas and shouting abuse online.

The incident took place during a shabbat service hosted by the synagogue, which was recently used to film a scene for the BBC’s Ridley Road.

The service was ambushed by a group who displayed “awful racist images” and changed their picture to a swastika. The offenders also shouted abuse at worshippers, leaving them “shaken”, Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen said.

The incident was reported as a hate crime to police, with officers confirming they were investigating. No arrests had been made, the force said, and enquiries were ongoing.

Rabbi Steen told the Manchester Evening News that the incident was “obviously premediated”, as people kept trying to join the online meeting using different names.

She said they had not realised that they had been able to join before they started to shout abuse.

“They changed their picture to a swastika and lots of awful racist images were popping up,” she said.

Rabbi Steen added: “It felt like such an invasion and even though it was online, it felt violent. Our services are a safe space and it was just really shocking for people.

“We have members of our community who have family who are Holocaust survivors.”

Support has been ‘overwhelming and humbling’

Rabbi Steen added that the outpouring of solidarity since the incident from different communities across the entire region had provided much support.

“The responses we have had from within and across the Jewish community, from inter-faith friends and Manchester leaders, as well as general members of the public have been so overwhelming and humbling,” she added.

“Whatever fire or fear was lit on Friday night it has been drowned out by the love and support we have received.”

Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, described the incident as “truly appalling”.

In a message of support on Twitter, he added: “We will ensure the fullest possible investigation.”

The synagogue hosts a mixture of online and in-person services. However, all online services are password-protected, and change every time.

Rabbi Steen told The Telegraph that “we have some of the tightest online security there is”.

She added: “Our links are only given to members and friends of the community. Screen sharing is not possible. The only conclusion we can draw so far is that our meeting details were hacked or inadvertently shared but our investigations are continuing.”

Asked whether she believed that the incident was linked to or as a result of the BBC drama, she added: “Personally, I don’t think it’s related to Ridley Road as this threat has been around much longer than the programme.”