Leeds Minster has closed a Gaza memorial after receiving evidence suggesting it commemorated “at least 18 known terrorist fighters”.

The Stitch Their Names Together exhibition was due to run until Sunday, but the minster announced on Friday morning that it had closed with immediate effect.

The church has now been reported to the police, and the matter could be raised with the Charity Commission.

It comes after the Jewish Representative Council of Leeds (JRC) presented the church – which is overseen by the Church of England – with evidence suggesting the tapestry included the names of at least 18 known Hamas fighters.

Leeds Minister now says it will work to “rebuild trust” with the Jewish community.

The closure, which follows concerns raised by the Office of the Chief Rabbi, comes after church officials initially allowed the exhibition to open, despite a warning from JRC about 12 names on the wider artwork that were believed to belong to terror fighters.

The church concluded that none of those names appeared on the panels chosen for display in the minster.

But following the exhibition opening, the names on display were researched, and further evidence about 18 names was presented to the church.

Read it all in the Jewish Chronicle