Overview
- The memorial to Holocaust survivor Chaim Ferster was ripped from its fixings, smashed, and found in the frozen lake at Clowes Park on Wednesday, with its audio feature reportedly removed.
- Greater Manchester Police have opened an investigation, say the offenders are unknown, and report they are following all lines of enquiry.
- Mayor Paul Dennett says the city will repair and reinstall the bench and will work with Ferster’s family and the local Jewish community to address safety in the park.
- The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Campaign Against Antisemitism, and local groups condemned the act and called for those responsible to be identified and prosecuted.
- Installed in 2019 on Ferster’s regular walking route, the bench allowed visitors to hear his Holocaust testimony; he survived multiple camps and later shared his experiences with schoolchildren.