Remembering Adrian and Melvin: Why the Fight Against Knife Crime Must Continue

Last Thursday (2 October 2025), I travelled to Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Crumpsall, Manchester — the site of a devastating terror attack that took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Two men, Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby, were murdered in a brutal assault involving both a vehicle and a knife. Their attacker, Jihad Al-Shamie, pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State before being shot dead by armed police.

My reason for going there was simple — another life had been taken by a knife. As someone who has spent years campaigning against knife crime, developing first aid protocols, and advocating for stronger prevention measures, I felt compelled to stand where violence had once again stolen lives.

But as I spoke with witnesses, mourners, and members of the community, the full gravity of what had happened began to sink in. This wasn’t just another knife attack. It was a targeted act of terror, designed to strike fear into a community gathered in prayer and reflection.

And yet, one thought kept returning to me: no matter the motive — ideological, personal, or random — the weapon was the same.

That detail matters. Because when you strip away the ideology, the hate, or the circumstance, what remains is the same instrument of destruction — a knife — and the same trail of devastation it leaves behind.

It reinforces why our work must continue.
Why TRACK protocols must be embedded in schools.
Why remembrance must always be paired with action.
And why we must never allow violence to become normalised.

Standing on the steps of the synagogue, I felt the weight of loss — but also the strength of resilience.

Rabbi Daniel Walker spoke powerfully about how “evil tried to defile” a sacred space, but was repelled by courage and unity. I saw that courage firsthand in the faces of those who refused to let hate win.

That visit reminded me that remembrance is not passive. It’s not enough to mourn and move on. True remembrance demands that we build, protect, and act — that we honour those we’ve lost by ensuring their names are not forgotten and their deaths are not in vain.

Adrian and Melvin were not just victims. They were protectors — men who stood up in the face of danger. I will carry their memory forward in every campaign, every classroom, and every conversation, because remembrance without action achieves nothing.

Knife crime doesn’t exist in isolation. Whether it’s a gang feud, a domestic dispute, or a terrorist attack — the result is the same: lives shattered, families broken, and communities scarred.

Our fight must go on.
For Adrian. For Melvin. And others injured, all those affected, as a result of this terrible attack.

Edwin Duggan LLB(Hons)

Published 7th October 2025