TERROR AND GRIEF IN MANCHESTER

The Union Jack in Mourning 

The European Flag Flying Half Mast

On Monday the 22nd May, thousands of children, teenagers and their families were attending an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena.

At 10.3 pm, just as the show was ending and hundreds of pink balloons were falling from the beams, a deadly explosion resounded through the building, killing at least 22 and injuring 57 very young, innocent people.   The terrified, screaming crowd rushed to escape from the Arena.   Anguished parents were searching for their children and vice versa.  A hotel and several residents, who live near the Manchester Arena, opened their doors to lost children and teenagers and informed their parents.  The British police are treating the bombing as an act of terrorism.



Tuesday, 22nd May.  Unfortunately, most of the dead and missing are adolescents and children, including an eight-year-old girl, Saffie Rose Roussos.   Saffie's mother is in a coma and very seriously injured in  hospital.

Isis has claimed responsibility for this cowardly heinous act, the worst terrorist attack in the UK, since the London attack in 2005.   The suicide bomber, Salmon Abedi, was a 22-year-old man, born in Manchester, of Lybian origin.

Our condolences, thoughts and prayers to the victims' families and our compliments to the residents of Manchester for their courage and resilience.

"Why do they kill us?" asked a young girl.  Although they have been brought up according to the western way of life, these radicals kill us because they hate us.  They hate our civilisation, our religion, our customs, our ideals.  On the other hand, most of the Muslims living in Europe are kind, peaceful, enlightened citizens.

Thousands of Mancunians thronged Albert Square, with flowers and candles, in an "emotional ceremony", a vigil to honour the victims of the terrorist attack.    The poet, Tony Walsh recited one of his poems "This is the Place".


                           These are hard times again, in the streets of our city,
                           But we won't take defeat and we don't want your pity.....

                          ...Because this is the place, that has been through some hard times,
                          Oppressions, recessions, depressions and dark times
                          But we keep fighting back with Greater Manchester spirit,
                          Northern grit, Northern wit and Greater Manchester Lyrics.....

We Love Manchester