rememberence of London Bomb Victims

[Babysis]

Press Release from ken livingston (http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=5325)


London united in defiance of terrorist attacks
12-7-2005 331

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, said: 'On Thursday 14 July London will remember all of those who died last Thursday and show its defiance of those who try to change the character of our city through terror.

'At noon millions of Londoners will observe two minutes silence. Every bus in the city will stop, businesses will stop and I want everyone who can to come out of their workplaces and homes onto the streets of London to remember those who died and to show their complete defiance of the terrorists.

'At 1pm books of condolences will be opened in Trafalgar Square for all Londoners and visitors to the city to sign throughout the day.

'At 6pm Londoners are invited to a vigil in Trafalgar Square to remember those who died, to show that London will not be moved from our goal of building an open, tolerant, multi-racial and multi-cultural society showing the world its future and to thank the heroes of the transport and emergency services who saved so many lives last Thursday.

'The vigil is organised by my office with the Trades Union Congress and representatives of London's different faiths and communities. There will be readings and poems by prominent Londoners, different communities and from London's representatives of the city's transport and emergency services.'

I am planning on going down to Traflagar Square on Thursday, I just feel its something I want to do, to pay my respects. If anyone else wants to join me, It would be much appreciated, but if not Im just going to pop down on my own.

[Anto McC]

I must admit Ken Livingstone has been brilliant through this whole unfortunate event.

[paul_oshea]

ya i think he is great, what he said about the standard as well, he holds no punches and wholly beleives in what he says, which i think is great, he seems to have a lot of cop on, and isnt one to be overly PC. fair play to him, was good to see him out on paddys day as well. whatever anyone says.

thats cool if everyone comes out onto the streets like especially where i am as im down along the river so there should be loads, im not forgetting the idea, but i think it will actually add to it.

babysis i might head down depends on work. :o

[Peadar]

If anyone else wants to join me, It would be much appreciated.

What time were you planning on going down there?

[Babysis]

They are asking people down from 6pm, so Im only in Oxfrd Circus, so at worst it will be 6.30pm.

Im sure my bosses will let me go a bit early, in which case I will try and go at 5.30. I want to go to Kings Cross, but at the moment i feel like im intruding. As this vigil is for the whole of London, I just want to pay my respects.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Red Ken strikes again... Well done Mr. Livingston... with whom I share a birthday :)

[Closed Account 2]

I'll try and go if I've finished my stuff at work by then - which hopefully will be the case.

[hamish]

Red Ken strikes again... Well done Mr. Livingston... with whom I share a birthday :)

Great to see Peadar back again "Red Dec" - any word on LondonRed? I read on the other post that a few were asking about him???

[Babysis]

The two minutes silence was very moving. All the offices around Oxford St came outside and it was observed by everybody. It finished with everyone giving a round of applause, just spontaneous.

Im proud to be a Londoner today

[Peadar]

The two minutes silence was very moving.

Yes, very poignant.
All the traffic stopped at the Tower of London and the streets filled with people. The silence was only broken by a few white van drivers.

[Babysis]

I guess for all those who were involved, they can take from it the message that everyone is thinking of them.

[Peadar]

I'm just not sure that this country had any need to mark it.

There were at least 3 other Irish people on my train, one of them a Galway man who was seriously injured. One Irish man was killed at Kings Cross. I'd imagine many other Irish people went through what I went through. This wasn't a terrible accident like a train crash, but an attack on human life by murderers. The silence was a public display of solidarity all across Europe.

We can try to move on now.
Some will find that easier than others.

[Babysis]

I know it was a terrible tragedy, but maybe it's time to move on.

If 50 people died in an English train crash, it would be awful, but I can't imagine this country having a minute's silence.

I believe bombers have claimed 20,000 lives in Iraq, and I'm not some bleeding heart left winger who goes around saying that they reaped what they sow and it's all Blair's fault - it was appalling. I'm just not sure that this country had any need to mark it. But then again, I would respect anyone individual's wish to mark the event.

This has deeply affected alot of people living in London. It has been one week, thats all. Not all of the dead have even been identied yet. i think its fair to say most Londoners "moved on" on Friday morning when we all had to get on the tube and go to work, but this meant alot to the thousands of people who stood outside in tears today. As for other countries, its up to the individual, but given that one of the victims is a second generation Irish man only aged 22, I would feel thats reason enough to mark it. But like i say thats just how I feel.

[Peadar]

By the way Conor, I don't condone murder anywhere in the world no matter what justification people try to submit. I have to rely on the media to show me what happens in places such as Iraq and the images of people being murdered there upsets me as well.

[paul_oshea]

its the age old thing of, well when it happens to you or on your doorstep, it means an awful lot more etc.

I see your point about moving on though. i respected it as i live here. you should remember though that there will have been a lot of irish directly or indirectly affected, so to show solidarity was only just and right.

[dahamsta]

I know it's an unpopular point of view, but I agree with Conor on this. The day after the bombings the headline on one of the Irish newspapers was "07-07-05" and it just made me sick because whoever came up with it was trying to sensationalise it, was trying to make it another 9/11. It disgusted me, and what's worse is that it's exactly what the terrorists want. London and Britain and Ireland and everywhere else can't and shouldn't let that happen.

And since the media pop in here far more than they should, I'd like to add that if the journalist and editor that came up with and approved that headline are browsing Foot.ie, I have a message for you: Your attempt to line your pockets with something like that puts you in a category not that far away from those directly responsible. F*ck you, and f*ck your newspaper.

adam

[paul_oshea]

no cursing on foot.ie please..


no i agree with what you say, that sorta of headline is wrong, but I think its only fair to remember those people, simply for the families invloved, it has to help them somewhat, to know that alll these people are there standing together in remembrance of the people that died NOT in defiance of those that did what they did, but in remembrance of those that died. I know, personally, that if someone I knew died, I would find this mark of respect very apt.

[Green Tribe]

Quite sad to read this today, it's a small world, Ciaran Cassidy's dad was from Swanlinbar and his mum from Enniskillen, where i went to school, from my local paper at home;

http://www.fermanaghherald.com/news.htm

:(

[Babysis]

Quite sad to read this today, it's a small world, Ciaran Cassidy's dad was from Swanlinbar and his mum from Enniskillen, where i went to school, from my local paper at home;

http://www.fermanaghherald.com/news.htm

:(

Doesnt that just sum it up. yesterday it was a sad tragedy, mindless murder, then you relise you know someone or by association they are part of your community or your life and it becomes personal. I didnt know him well, I knew who he was, he was a year below me in school, I dont know his sister well, we know the same people and drink in the same pub, but I have the greatest sympathy respect and heartfelt condolences for the cassidy's and everyone else effected.