Absolutely sickening
Families’ outrage after yobs vomit, urinate and take drugs at terror victims memorial
RELATIVES of those murdered in the Manchester Arena terror attack have pleaded: “Please respect our families” after thugs desecrated a memorial site.
The Glade of Light, in the city centre, is set to be unveiled in the New Year.
But heartbroken families of the suicide bomber’s 22 victims have been left “sickened” after trespassers were seen “vomiting and urinating” there.
On Sunday night some of the fencing was pulled down and yobs entered the site.
Manchester City Council is investigating the mindless incident and said it would pass CCTV to police.
Caroline Curry’s 19-year-old son Liam died when Salman Abedi, 22, detonated his backpack bomb following an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017.
She witnessed the fencing torn down and yobs walking through the memorial gardens, seeing “urinating, vomiting, attempted theft and drug use”.
Caroline added: “I’m absolutely sickened by the total lack of respect shown.”
Claire Brewster, who lost her sister Kelly, 32, also saw the morons inside the special site, which is centred around a white marble “halo” bearing the names of the 22 dead.
She said: “We had to move someone on from being sick and watch numerous others smoke weed or urinate right at the side of the memorial.
“Manchester please, I am begging you, treat this memorial as special.
“Pay your respects when it’s open; please don’t disrespect our families.” Figen Murray, the mum of Martyn Hett, 29, who also lost his life in the attack, tweeted: “Not quite what we all thought it would be. So sad.” Councillor Pat Karney said a security team was sent to the memorial on Sunday night. He said: “We are investigating as a matter of urgency to find out what happened, how the fencing came down and to keep the site secure. The
whole area is covered by CCTV and if footage shows it was due to the deliberate actions of mindless thugs, we will pass this information on to the police.
“There can be no excuse for the kind of behaviour witnessed by the bereaved relatives.
“We utterly condemn this mindless and disrespectful behaviour and will not hesitate to take action against those involved.”
The council has designed the Glade of Light, alongside Manchester Cathedral, to be “a tranquil garden space for remembrance and reflection”.
The bereaved families had a say in the memorial gardens, which will also be the setting for commemorative events.