Thousands gather at vigils to show solidarity with Manchester terror victims
Mancunians came together in the city centre in a show of defiance, to declare that they won’t be ‘beaten’ or ‘intimidated’ in the wake of the attack.
Crowds spilled from Albert Square on to nearby roads, standing tall in an act of solidarity.
‘We watched it all unfold last night,’ she said, alongside her teenage daughter Lucy.
‘We felt we wanted to show a sense of solidarity and commitment that Manchester always has.
‘When the chips are down, Manchester always pulls together.’
Lucy added that she had friends at the concert who were ‘shaken up’, adding that ‘a few of them didn’t come into school’.
Thousands gather at vigils to show solidarity with Manchester terror victims
The crowds erupted into applause as the vigil began.
Senior figures including Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Speaker John Bercow joined Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham on stage.
Witnesses describe horrific scenes after Manchester terror attack
Lord Mayor of Manchester Eddy Newman said the vigil was a chance to ‘express solidarity’ with the victims.
He thanked the emergency services, prompting a rapturous response from the thousands of people gathered there.
The Bishop of Manchester also commented on the ‘unbelievable turnout.
He said: ‘They are the few, we are the many. We are Manchester.’
Holding signs saying ‘I love MCR’, heartbroken Mancunians remembered the 22 people that died at the Ariana Grande concert.
Some people – including children – left hand-written notes saying that they are ‘praying for the people of Manchester’.
Another 119 people were injured after 22-year-old suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated an IED near Manchester Arena.
Prime Minister Theresa May today praised the ‘unbreakable spirit’ of Mancunians in the wake of the attack.
Writing in a condolences book for the victims of last night’s bombing, she said that those who stood strong proved that ‘terrorism never wins’.
Outside of Manchester, people gathered across the country to pay tribute to those who died.
All you need to know about the terror attack:
The attack was carried out by 22-year-old Salman Abedi.
Abedi was a lone male suicide bomber who detonated an improvised explosive device.
22 people have been killed and 59 were taken to hospital following the blast. 119 people were injured in total.
Children are among the dead
The youngest named victim was eight years old
The lone attacker died at the arena
Police are investigating whether he acted alone or was part of a network
It is the worst terrorist attack in the UK since 56 people were killed in the 7/7 London bombings in 2005.
The explosion rocked the Manchester Arena at the conclusion of a performance by the American star Ariana Grande.
Manchester Arena said the explosion happened outside the venue, as people began streaming from the doors.
Greater Manchester Police said they were called to the venue at around 10.33pm and approach roads were closed.
The blast is being treated as a terrorist incident.
More than 400 officers were deployed on the operation throughout Monday night.
Manchester Victoria station was evacuated and trains cancelled.
The victims are being treated at eight hospitals across Greater Manchester, Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said.
The Prime Minister condemned what was being treated as an ‘appalling terrorist attack’ and said she would chair a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee on Tuesday.
All national General Election campaigning was suspended after the explosion.
A controlled explosion was carried out by police at the Cathedral Gardens area near Manchester Arena shortly after 1.30am.
Police said the suspicious item at the centre of the controlled explosion was just abandoned clothing.
The first victim of the Manchester terror attack has been named as Georgina Callendar
Two more victims have since been named – 26-year-old John Atkinson, and eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos.
Police have arrested a man, 23, in connection with the terror attack at Manchester Arena.
Vigils were held in cities all over the country the next day, May 23
Theresa May has raised the UK’s terror threat level from ‘severe’ to ‘critical’ – the highest level.
