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Manchester Arena bombing: thousands gather for vigil at Albert Square – latest updates
Manchester Arena bombing: thousands gather for vigil at Albert Square – latest updates
(35 minutes later)
6.43pm BST
18:43
An appeal set up earlier today by the Manchester Evening News has now raised more than half a million pounds.
This is incredible. https://t.co/4IGf25Qa7R pic.twitter.com/ZMr8yjQt5J
6.37pm BST
18:37
The alert over a suspicious package found at Salford University has turned out to be a false alarm.
Police have confirmed we can now reopen buildings with immediate effect and the @createatsalford Fashion Show will go ahead as planned.(1/2)
Updated
at 6.41pm BST
6.33pm BST
18:33
The vigil has ended but a man is chanting "there is a light and it never goes out". #manchester
6.31pm BST
18:31
Manchester City Council and the British Red Cross have launched an appeal for those injured or bereaved by the Manchester attack. The lord mayor of Manchester, Councillor Eddy Newman, said the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund will make payments to help families in need, including those faced with funeral costs and individuals who may have suffered life-limiting injuries.
“The fund has been established after countless people, from Manchester and from around the world, expressed their desire to help,” he said. “We are incredibly grateful to the huge amount of people reaching out to offer their support.”
The British Red Cross have kicked off the appeal with a £50,000 donation. To donate go to www.redcross.org.uk/manchester or call 0300 456 4999.
Updated
at 6.32pm BST
6.26pm BST
18:26
Helen Pidd is at the vigil:
The poet Tony Walsh will read his gorgeous ode to Manchester, This Is The Place; "Make us a brew while you're up, love, go on..." pic.twitter.com/o0CfdGD6ax
Updated
at 6.39pm BST
6.23pm BST
18:23
There has just been a minute’s silence held at the vigil for the 22 people who were killed last night.
Updated
at 6.25pm BST
6.18pm BST
18:18
Thousands at Manchester vigil. Those at back can't hear what's been said but unanimous applause breaking out. pic.twitter.com/bVEMqDraVr
Those attending the vigil include the former England cricket captain Freddie Flintoff.
Updated
at 6.37pm BST
6.13pm BST
18:13
Nazia Parveen
The moment police blast open door of suicide bomb suspect's home- Video. https://t.co/8IaoyJz1g8
Officers raided the house on Elsmore Road, which is the registered address of Salman Abedi. He has now been named as the man believed to be responsible for the arena atrocity.
A squad of police are seen carrying out a controlled explosion to blast down the front door of the property off Wilbraham Road in Fallowfield at 11.30am on Tuesday.
This video, taken by resident Theo Brown, shows police preparing to go into the property. A number of armed officers are seen waiting for the controlled explosion before raiding the home.
6.04pm BST
6.04pm BST
18:04
18:04
Staff and students at Salford University have been told to leave buildings on the campus.
Staff and students at Salford University have been told to leave buildings on the campus.
Buildings being evacuated on Peel Park campus; New Adelphi, Lady Hale and Clifford Whitworth library. Please follow instructions from staff.
Buildings being evacuated on Peel Park campus; New Adelphi, Lady Hale and Clifford Whitworth library. Please follow instructions from staff.
However, we have no more detail at this stage and it is not clear why the evacuations are taking place.
However, we have no more detail at this stage and it is not clear why the evacuations are taking place.
5.59pm BST
5.59pm BST
17:59
17:59
The former US president tweets:
The former US president tweets:
Our hearts go out to those killed and wounded in Manchester. Americans will always stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of the UK.
Our hearts go out to those killed and wounded in Manchester. Americans will always stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of the UK.
5.45pm BST
5.45pm BST
17:45
17:45
The Guardian’s North of England editor, Helen Pidd, is at the vigil, which officially begins at 6pm.
The Guardian’s North of England editor, Helen Pidd, is at the vigil, which officially begins at 6pm.
Manchester's Albert Square is full with thousands of people here to show solidarity with their fellow Mancunians pic.twitter.com/n9VmK9JRUf
Manchester's Albert Square is full with thousands of people here to show solidarity with their fellow Mancunians pic.twitter.com/n9VmK9JRUf
Just spoke to Amir Shah, Manchester born & bred. "I'm not here as a person with brown skin or someone born Muslim. I'm here as a Mancunian."
Just spoke to Amir Shah, Manchester born & bred. "I'm not here as a person with brown skin or someone born Muslim. I'm here as a Mancunian."
Updated
Updated
at 5.49pm BST
at 5.49pm BST
5.42pm BST
5.42pm BST
17:42
17:42
Josh Halliday
Josh Halliday
It is understood that Ian Hopkins, the Greater Manchester police chief constable, was involved in high-level meetings with counter-terrorism officials about identifying Salman Abedi until moments before he stepped outside the force headquarters.
It is understood that Ian Hopkins, the Greater Manchester police chief constable, was involved in high-level meetings with counter-terrorism officials about identifying Salman Abedi until moments before he stepped outside the force headquarters.
Hopkins had been due to give an update at 4.30pm, but that was hastily delayed after Abedi was named by the Press Association, which became the first UK news organisation to name the suspected bomber.
Hopkins had been due to give an update at 4.30pm, but that was hastily delayed after Abedi was named by the Press Association, which became the first UK news organisation to name the suspected bomber.
Hours earlier, the force had warned news organisations that naming any possibly suspect could hamper the ongoing investigation into Monday night’s atrocity.
Hours earlier, the force had warned news organisations that naming any possibly suspect could hamper the ongoing investigation into Monday night’s atrocity.
Updated
Updated
at 5.47pm BST
at 5.47pm BST
5.35pm BST
17:35
Helen Pidd
If you want to buy the doctors and nurses at Manchester Royal Infirmary a pint tonight, you have until 6pm to donate to a kitty behind the bar at the Turing Tap, the hospital’s on-site pub. So far more than £1,100 has been pledged to say thank you to the staff who worked through the night to save lives.
Updated
at 5.39pm BST
5.34pm BST
17:34
Frances Perraudin
Alan and Frances Kinsey live opposite the raided house on Elsmore Road in Fallowfield. The first they knew of the raid was when Alan Kinsey tried to leave the house at about 11.30am and was told to go back inside by police.
Video he took on his phone from an upstairs window shows about 30 armed police officers surrounding the house and blowing the door open. Alan, 52, says he watched the house following the raid and did not see anybody being taken out.
The couple, who have lived in their house for 17 years, say they do not know the family at the address to talk to. The raid came as a horrible shock, they say.
They say that for the past six months there has seemed to only be a man in his 20s living in the house, with others occasionally coming and going. Alan described the man as more than 6ft 2ins, slim and usually wearing traditional Islamic dress.
Alan says he only communicated with the man once, when they disagreed over parking.
Updated
at 5.53pm BST
5.28pm BST
17:28
This is the full statement read by the GMP chief constable, Ian Hopkins:
Can I start by once again passing on our heartfelt sympathies to all the innocent people caught up in last night’s despicable act. We now have a team of specially trained family liaison officers who are supporting families.
There has been much speculation and names of those who may have been killed in the media and social media. We accept that this is inevitable, however, we ask that people allow the police and coroner to release the names once the families are ready and appropriately supported.
As you would expect the police response to this across Greater Manchester has been significant as we support people to go about their daily business.
Part of this response has seen us arrest a 23-year-old man in connection with the attack and we have also carried out two warrants, one in Whalley Range and one in Fallowfield that included a controlled explosion to enable safe entry.
We understand that feelings are very raw right now and people are bound to be looking for answers. However, now more than ever, it is vital that our diverse communities in Greater Manchester stand together and do not tolerate hate.
We have been visited by the prime minister and home secretary and we have taken them through the emergency response so far and what we plan to do in future days.
I can confirm that the man suspected of carrying out last night’s atrocity has been named as 22-year-old Salman Abedi. However, he has not yet been formally identified and I wouldn’t wish, therefore, to comment further. The priority remains to establish whether he was acting alone or as part of a network.”
Updated
at 5.38pm BST
5.22pm BST
17:22
Bomber named by police
The suicide bomber behind the Manchester terror attack has been named by police as Salman Abedi, 22.
Abedi, believed to be from Manchester, was named by the Greater Manchester police chief constable, Ian Hopkins, in a media briefing outside the force’s headquarters on Tuesday afternoon.
Updated
at 5.57pm BST
5.15pm BST
17:15
A garden party at Buckingham Palace has observed a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the Manchester terror attack. Moments after the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Princess Eugenie arrived at the event a drum roll signalled the start of the tribute.
The minute’s silence was observed just before the playing of the national anthem, which is normally played before garden parties at the palace begin.
In a message of support, the Queen said: “The whole nation has been shocked by the death and injury in Manchester last night of so many people, adults and children, who had just been enjoying a concert. I know I speak for everyone in expressing my deepest sympathy to all who have been affected by this dreadful event and especially to the families and friends of those who have died or were injured.”
Updated
at 5.32pm BST
5.07pm BST
17:07
Severin Carrell
The parents of two schoolgirls from the Hebridean island of Barra – Laura MacIntyre, 15, and Eilidh MacLeod, 14 – who remain missing after the concert bombing flew to Manchester on Tuesday to help police find their children.
A tweet by Laura’s father Micheal appealing for news of his daughter was retweeted more than 13,000 times:
Please...please reetweet. Looking for my daughter and her friend . Laura Macintyre and Eilidh Macleod #manchesterattack pic.twitter.com/1N0cikPQEf
A similar Facebook post by Eilidh’s aunt, Margaret MacNeil, was shared nearly 84,000 times. She wrote: “Please let us find the girls safe and well.”
Angus MacNeil, the MP for the Western Isles and a family friend of the MacIntyres, said police had asked the girls’ parents for a detailed description of their clothing to help find them.
The island has a population of just over 1,000, and MacNeil said islanders were feeling extremely tense after such a long time without news. The teenagers, who are pupils at the small community high school in Castlebay, had travelled to the concert with Eilidh’s mother Marion on Sunday, MacNeil said.
The girls’ fathers and Laura’s mother had managed to get seats on Tuesday on the only available flight to the mainland from the nearby island of Benbecula after other passengers gave up their places.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, told MSPs at Holyrood that the two girls were still unaccounted for. Police Scotland liaison officers are supporting the family.
“It is hard for any of us to imagine the anguish that their families are going through,” Sturgeon said. “They are in our thoughts and the Scottish government and Police Scotland will do all we possibly can to ensure that they have all the support they need.”
Updated
at 5.37pm BST
4.56pm BST
16:56
The three Take That concerts due to take place at the Manchester Arena later this week have been postponed, the venue said this afternoon.
pic.twitter.com/HkR9ilSTSt
4.53pm BST
16:53
Here is Theresa May signing the book of condolence at Manchester town hall.
Theresa May signs a book of condolence at Manchester town hall after the terror attack at the city's arena pic.twitter.com/L5BDBvAwNc
4.49pm BST
16:49
Sarah Marsh
A crowdfunding page set up by the Manchester Evening News has raised more than £360,000 since being set up and the total continues to rise. By 11.15am, more than 1,700 supporters had donated £28,000, and by about midday the figure hit £50,000.
One person who donated left a message that read: “My heart is with you all. I am deeply saddened by the recent events. I pray you are all OK and for those that have sadly passed away I pray you are safe in heaven.”
Updated
at 4.53pm BST
4.43pm BST
16:43
This is what Paul Ryan, the speaker of the House of Representatives, said about the Manchester attack at a news conference.
The whole House of Representatives extends its condolences to the families of the victims. Our prayers are especially with those who are still searching for their children.
I don’t know – maybe it’s because I am a father of teenagers, but that is the part that keeps me coming back to this. I mean, think about the kids who had this date on their calendar circled. Think about the kids who got their parents to agree to take them to the concert. Or maybe it was a birthday present, or maybe it was a surprise.
Or think about the kids who went to the concert with their friends on the agreement that they would get together and meet their parents outside right after it. Those are the kinds of conversations that go on in families with teenagers. And then all those moms and dads waiting outside when disaster struck – think about that for a second. Many rushing in, hoping to God and fearing the worst.
To deliberately target innocent children is cowardice in its most heinous form. So we should not be surprised that Isis has claimed responsibility for this attack. But we will never bow or bend to radical Islamic terror.
In Manchester, we have seen hotels taking in survivors. We have seen local residents offering beds to those who are stranded. We have seen taxi cabs driving back and forth through the night, offering free rides to bring people to safety. And as we speak, people on social media are reaching out to connect families with their loved ones.
Terror is a threat that we all face together – and with our might, and with our humanity too. In that spirit, I want to express solidarity of the whole House of Representatives to prime minister May and her government. We stand ready to help in any way we can. Because freedom, compassion, and peace will always prevail over violence and hate.
