Manchester bomb: Minute's silence held across country for victims

Tom Powell25 May 2017

Millions of people have observed a minute's silence in remembrance of the 22 people killed in the Manchester concert suicide bombing.

The silence also marked the nation's solidarity with those who were injured in the blast as well as others affected by the atrocity.

The largest gathering was in St Ann's Square, where thousand stood around the floral tributes that have been laid since the tragedy on Monday.

Crowds then broke out into applause at the end of the solemn 60 second ceremony.

Manchester's mayor, Andy Burnham, then lay flowers.

In London, mourners paused to remember the victims outside Westminster - scene of its own terrorist atrocity in March - and soldiers and police outside Buckingham Palace were also seen to observe the silence.

Mourners in Westminster
Jeremy Selwyn

Hundreds of people gathered outside Greater Manchester Police headquarters for the minute of silence, with crowds pouring out of nearby buildings to join the officers.

Other police forces across the country joined in the act of remembrance, with a show of solidarity also taking place at Scotland Yard.

Court proceedings were paused at London's Southwark Crown Court.

Judges, jurors, lawyers and defendants in the dock all stood in silence as a mark respect.

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins asked those gathered to spend a minute "reflecting" on the events of Monday night.

"Particularly remembering the families of those 22 victims who perished in that terrorist atrocity that we saw here in our great city.

"I'd like you to also think about those that still lie in our hospitals, some very critically injured. Think of them and their families," he said.

Minute's silence for Manchester bomb victims

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He also asked people to reflect on the "great work" of all the emergency services in responding to the attack, hailing their "true professionalism".

He thanked everyone for attending and "showing the community strength that exists" in the area, adding that it sends a message to victims' families that "we are standing here with them".

The silence at GMP HQ began and ended with a whistle, with the crowds applauding before they walked back to their offices.

Outside the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where medics fought through the night to save victims, staff stood together for a moment's silence before breaking into spontaneous applause.

Inside, doctors and nurses paused their duties and stood on balconies overlooking the main reception.

Devastated: Mourners in St Ann's Square
PA

Flags will remain at half-mast on government buildings until Thursday evening, said a statement released jointly by 10 Downing Street, the Foreign Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Suicide bomber Salman Abedi killed 22 people, including children, and injured 59 when he attacked crowds leaving an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena on Monday evening.

Officials had said there would be no national event planned for the silence but that individuals and organisations across the country could decide for themselves how to mark the moment.

Staff in all government buildings were expected to observe the silence.

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