Community event remembers 7/7

Emdad Rahman

A SMALL commemoration event at Aldgate station involving members of the general community remembered the innocent lives lost on 7/7, when 52 people were tragically taken.

Today is twelve years since London was temporarily bought to a standstill by a horrendous terrorist attack aimed at causing maximum carnage and killing people at random, regardless of who they were.

Flowers were laid at the memorial and a minute’s silence was observed. As a mark of love, volunteers from the organisation Heart 2 Heart – an initiative of Gift of Knowledge – handed out flowers to commuters.

Shaikh Selina Begum, who has led this memorial event since 2016, said, “For us this is about mending and uniting hearts. The attacks on London twelve years ago were an attack on us all and there has been so much pain, sorrow and terror since. We are humbled to be here today and send our heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives on that tragic day. The legacy of what happened on that tragic day lives on today. If we work to unite, then we can surely defeat those who are full of hatred. If we turn on each other, then their objectives have been met.”

Claire Moll from St George’s in the East added, “It was a tragedy which affected so many people and not just Londoners. We stand united here today and make a bold statement that we will not allow division and discord to be sown. We will stand firmly together as citizens. I want us all to spend some time to reflect as it will give us inner peace going forward.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan laid a wreath at the 7/7 memorial at Hyde Park. He said, “Twelve years ago, our city suffered a cowardly and barbaric terrorist attack. Four co-ordinated suicide bombings across London’s transport network killed 52 people and injured over 700. We will never forget those who lost their lives on 7/7 – and we honour them again today and they will always remain in our hearts.

“As well as grieving those we have lost, we also pay tribute to the heroic efforts of our emergency services and transport colleagues on that darkest of days. Our firefighters, paramedics, police and public transport staff fought to save lives in the most horrific and harrowing of circumstances. And our first responders showed tremendous bravery, running towards danger whilst directing others to safety.”

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