One week on since the horrific attack on our dear city, I have never been so amazed, so stunned, so taken aback and so absolutely filled to the brim with pride.
Today, I went into the city centre for the first time since the attack. It was busy and bustling, as per usual, but when we went to lay flowers down in St Anne's Square it was silent. There were, I'd guess, hundreds standing in the square, but it was quiet. There were TV crews still stationed at the bottom end; vans with satellites bookending the exits at the rear of the square. Even in the rain, people had turned out in huge numbers to put down flowers as they were passing on their way to work. Children and families had taken time out of their precious half-term holidays to come and drop off teddy bears, balloons and cards. People like us, who had stopped off before doing a bit of shopping, chose to take a few moments out of our busy schedules to pay our respects, to show solidarity with our city, and to take in the sight of a square literally carpeted with flowers, tributes, bears, balloons and candles.
Tattoo artists offered their services for free this weekend to anyone who wanted the Manchester bee, with the only fee being a donation. Advertising billboards here and there have been replaced with the slogans "Pray for Manchester" and "I love Manchester". The symbol of this city, the worker bee, has been emblazoned in places where it wasn't before - shop windows, pavements, lamp posts. Busses went around the city centre, but instead of saying "Sorry, not in service" when not in use, their luminous orange boards on the face of the double deckers said "We *heart* Manchester" instead. Inside one of the shops a table had been set up selling raffle tickets, all proceeds going to the emergency services. A wreath of flowers has been laid in St Anne's Square proclaiming one word in red roses: Kindness.480Please respect copyright.PENANAWhpwwfNXKz
Others surrounded it; signs both hand made and professionally printed, tied to trees or held down on the floor by stones, asking us to "choose love".480Please respect copyright.PENANAKJZDy0TqRY
This is one city hatred cannot break, one place where instead of turning against each other, we have embraced. A Muslim man stood blindfolded in the city centre with open arms, asking if anyone would hug him. People did. When a mosque was subjected to an arson attack, people of all faiths, shapes and sizes went to help and covered the building with paper hearts and flowers.480Please respect copyright.PENANAQBXic3l6OY
That isn't to say there isn't a minority using the events to push forward their own agenda of racism and xenophobia. But they are the minority and Manchester is overwhelmingly united; a young muslim consoled an old Jewish lady outside the town hall; the Sikh community marched against terrorism and gave out free refreshments from a stall in the city centre. There is no hate here.
We are the city that broke out in song after a moment's silence. The city that got up from the dust and carried on. Whilst we are all affected in different ways, and coping in different ways, it is clear that what happened last week will leave a scar all of us will carry. I personally knew no one at that gig, but I have carried the tragedy with a heavy heart all week. You never expect it to happen to your city, your home. You never for a moment think that the place where you grew up will be subjected to anything like this. We all sat in shock at horror when Paris was attacked; London, Brussels, each fresh hell in Syria and the middle east. But when it's home it's different. The shock lasts longer, emotions run higher. Tears flow faster. And whilst I didn't know any of the 22 that lost their lives, whilst I am not their families suffering the grief that they are, it does not mean I am not affected. It feels odd, somehow, to be out shopping and laughing, to be complaining that the bus turned up ten minutes late. To be wishing for the rain to stop and moaning when something doesn't go right. It feels odd because people have lost their lives, yet here I am, about to complain about something trivial. Something like this just puts everything into perspective. Petty arguments are, for the moment, forgotten, and I think everyone in this city feels the same. Not only are we mourning the loss of those twenty-two lives, but we're also thankful for our survival, because as bad as the attack was, it could have been so much worse. If the bomb had detonated mere minutes later, the death toll would be in the hundreds, thousands. We are thankful that we can get up and move on but we're still focussing on those people who never came home. The perspective in Manchester has shifted, and in places like St Anne's Square and at the Trafford Centre where police armed with guns were stationed at every entrance, it is painfully evident.480Please respect copyright.PENANATk9ceTFNI8
The steadfastness of the people of Manchester have moved me to tears and I, a proud Mancunian, would like to stress that hate will never be the answer. Choose love.
(This poem by Tony Walsh sums up absolutely everything. Please, listen to the words and the passion of the poet who has managed to put the very spirit of this city into such beautiful words.)
(Also, this video showing how people started singing Don't Look Back in Anger by Manchester band Oasis. This is Manchester, and this is how we react to tragedy.)
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