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| 7/7 bombings anniversary: 'They wanted to divide communities – I’m proud that we stand together against their extremism' | |
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| Some gathered to remember the family members they had lost. Hundreds more came to remember what they had seen and heard, and how they had responded. And as the names of 52 victims echoed under the dome of St Paul's Cathedral, a nation paused to remember an attack on a city that refused to be terrorised. | Some gathered to remember the family members they had lost. Hundreds more came to remember what they had seen and heard, and how they had responded. And as the names of 52 victims echoed under the dome of St Paul's Cathedral, a nation paused to remember an attack on a city that refused to be terrorised. |
| “Karolina Gluck, Gamze Gunoral, Lee Christopher Harris, Ojara Ikeagwu…” The list, read aloud to a congregation whose lives changed in a flash on 7 July 2005, sounded like a register of diversity, and of defiance. It took several minutes to hear them all. “Anthony Fatayi-Williams, Jamie Gordon, Giles Vernon Hart…” | “Karolina Gluck, Gamze Gunoral, Lee Christopher Harris, Ojara Ikeagwu…” The list, read aloud to a congregation whose lives changed in a flash on 7 July 2005, sounded like a register of diversity, and of defiance. It took several minutes to hear them all. “Anthony Fatayi-Williams, Jamie Gordon, Giles Vernon Hart…” |
| As red, white and pink petals floated down from the Whispering Gallery, a minute’s silence followed, observed across the country. Some people in the cathedral placed a petal carefully in their pockets. | As red, white and pink petals floated down from the Whispering Gallery, a minute’s silence followed, observed across the country. Some people in the cathedral placed a petal carefully in their pockets. |
| Outside, Londoners marked a day of commemoration 10 years after 7/7 by pausing, but also by carrying on. At every bomb site and focus of remembrance, trains continued to rumble under foot, and buses continued to roll past. | Outside, Londoners marked a day of commemoration 10 years after 7/7 by pausing, but also by carrying on. At every bomb site and focus of remembrance, trains continued to rumble under foot, and buses continued to roll past. |
| “Every driver coming past here this morning has slowed down and nodded,” said Mike Weston, director of buses at Transport for London. “They are the lifeblood of London, this is how it should be.” | “Every driver coming past here this morning has slowed down and nodded,” said Mike Weston, director of buses at Transport for London. “They are the lifeblood of London, this is how it should be.” |
| Small services took place at the time and site of each blast. Mr Weston stood on the pavement at Tavistock Square, where flowers and messages marked the spot where the last bomb detonated at 9:47am, killing 13 people on the number 30 bus. | Small services took place at the time and site of each blast. Mr Weston stood on the pavement at Tavistock Square, where flowers and messages marked the spot where the last bomb detonated at 9:47am, killing 13 people on the number 30 bus. |
| “I saw it blow up,” said Russell Clemence, 56, who had been on his way into the Hilton Hotel, just yards down the road towards Euston. “I remember watching the roof of the bus peeling off almost in slow motion, rising up into the air. It was not a good image.” | “I saw it blow up,” said Russell Clemence, 56, who had been on his way into the Hilton Hotel, just yards down the road towards Euston. “I remember watching the roof of the bus peeling off almost in slow motion, rising up into the air. It was not a good image.” |
| A man wearing a black jacket and shorts locked his bike across the road. He knelt in front of the flowers for several minutes, his eyes fixed on a tribute to Neetu Jain. The 37-year-old computer analyst was killed days before she and her boyfriend planned to get engaged. Unable to speak through tears, the man cycled back into the traffic. | A man wearing a black jacket and shorts locked his bike across the road. He knelt in front of the flowers for several minutes, his eyes fixed on a tribute to Neetu Jain. The 37-year-old computer analyst was killed days before she and her boyfriend planned to get engaged. Unable to speak through tears, the man cycled back into the traffic. |
| A flower lies on a plaque bearing the names of victims at the 7/7 memorial, on the 10th anniversary of the attacks, in Hyde Park (EPA) Tadeusz Gryglewicz, a Polish-born Londoner, was sitting on the bottom deck of the bus, and attended the service at St Paul’s as one of dozens of survivors. “I always believed that I shouldn’t be here, and 10 years later, I’m still around,” he said. “But it’s important to remind ourselves that others were not so lucky.” | A flower lies on a plaque bearing the names of victims at the 7/7 memorial, on the 10th anniversary of the attacks, in Hyde Park (EPA) Tadeusz Gryglewicz, a Polish-born Londoner, was sitting on the bottom deck of the bus, and attended the service at St Paul’s as one of dozens of survivors. “I always believed that I shouldn’t be here, and 10 years later, I’m still around,” he said. “But it’s important to remind ourselves that others were not so lucky.” |
| Earlier ceremonies took place at 8:50am, the time of the first bombings, under Russell Square, Edgware Road and Aldgate stations. At the same time, David Cameron, the Prime Minister, and Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, walked through the 52 steel pillars of the 7/7 memorial in Hyde Park to lay wreaths. | Earlier ceremonies took place at 8:50am, the time of the first bombings, under Russell Square, Edgware Road and Aldgate stations. At the same time, David Cameron, the Prime Minister, and Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, walked through the 52 steel pillars of the 7/7 memorial in Hyde Park to lay wreaths. |
| Qari Asim paced on the grass beyond the memorial. The imam from Leeds had been appointed only weeks before men from his city began their murderous mission to London. “They wanted to divide communities, and I’m proud that we stand together against their extremism,” he said. “An attack on London, and on British people abroad, is an attack on us all. We are all victims in different ways.” | Qari Asim paced on the grass beyond the memorial. The imam from Leeds had been appointed only weeks before men from his city began their murderous mission to London. “They wanted to divide communities, and I’m proud that we stand together against their extremism,” he said. “An attack on London, and on British people abroad, is an attack on us all. We are all victims in different ways.” |
| A British Transport Police officer stops to look at floral tributes left at Aldgate underground station (PA) Mr Asim, who knew the families of the three bombers who lived in Leeds, but not their radicalised sons, travelled across London to attend the service at St Paul’s, before returning to Makkah Masjid, his mosque, to join the city’s own commemorations. | A British Transport Police officer stops to look at floral tributes left at Aldgate underground station (PA) Mr Asim, who knew the families of the three bombers who lived in Leeds, but not their radicalised sons, travelled across London to attend the service at St Paul’s, before returning to Makkah Masjid, his mosque, to join the city’s own commemorations. |
| The Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Richard Chartres, led the service at St Paul’s. “Soon after 7 July, the families and the friends of the victims compiled a book of tributes,” he recalled in his address. “London is an astonishing world in a city. But beyond the diversity, the book also conveys a unifying, agonised outcry.” | The Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Richard Chartres, led the service at St Paul’s. “Soon after 7 July, the families and the friends of the victims compiled a book of tributes,” he recalled in his address. “London is an astonishing world in a city. But beyond the diversity, the book also conveys a unifying, agonised outcry.” |
| As bells pealed at midday, families and survivors joined Prince William in Hyde Park, where a stage had been set for a closing event. “It’s important to stop and see the sadness and anguish that the terrorists caused,” said Michael Hemming, who had been sitting just eight feet from the Aldgate bomber. “All they did is rip apart families, but their great ideal of attacking the state? It just didn’t happen.” | As bells pealed at midday, families and survivors joined Prince William in Hyde Park, where a stage had been set for a closing event. “It’s important to stop and see the sadness and anguish that the terrorists caused,” said Michael Hemming, who had been sitting just eight feet from the Aldgate bomber. “All they did is rip apart families, but their great ideal of attacking the state? It just didn’t happen.” |
| Less formal than the earlier proceedings, the ceremony included a community choir. Esther Hyman spoke for the families of victims. Her sister, Miriam, died at Tavistock Square. “The way we have tried to deal with it is to relinquish the need to cling on to any negative feelings,” she said. “I’ve relinquished the need to forgive, I’ve relinquished hatred, anger, bitterness. And in doing so I conserve a lot of energy with which to live the rest of my life.” | Less formal than the earlier proceedings, the ceremony included a community choir. Esther Hyman spoke for the families of victims. Her sister, Miriam, died at Tavistock Square. “The way we have tried to deal with it is to relinquish the need to cling on to any negative feelings,” she said. “I’ve relinquished the need to forgive, I’ve relinquished hatred, anger, bitterness. And in doing so I conserve a lot of energy with which to live the rest of my life.” |
| Speaking publicly for the first time, Emma Craig, a survivor of the Aldgate blast, who was just 14 and on her way to a work experience placement, reminded London that resilience also allows for weakness. “Quite often people say, ‘It didn’t break us, terrorism won’t break us’,” she said. “The fact is, it may not have broken London, but it did break some of us.” | Speaking publicly for the first time, Emma Craig, a survivor of the Aldgate blast, who was just 14 and on her way to a work experience placement, reminded London that resilience also allows for weakness. “Quite often people say, ‘It didn’t break us, terrorism won’t break us’,” she said. “The fact is, it may not have broken London, but it did break some of us.” |