A minute’s silence... then an anthem for the victims
MANCHESTER showed its defiant spirit yesterday as a huge crowd held a minute’s silence for victims of the bombing – before breaking into spontaneous song.
In a fitting tribute, hundreds of people gathered in glorious sunshine to pay silent tribute at 11am around a sea of floral tributes and messages in St Ann’s Square.
At the end, however, the quiet was broken by the lone voice of Lydia Bernsmeier-Rullow, 23, singing Don’t Look Back In Anger by the Manchester rock band Oasis.
The crowd were quick to join in, giving an emotional rendition of an anthem whose poignant title seemed made for the occasion.
The song ended with a round of applause in a city still reeling from Monday’s atrocity.
After the impromptu performance, Miss Bernsmeier-Rullow, an actress and musician, said: ‘It just felt like the right moment.
‘It wasn’t something that I’d planned or thought about, but I had been thinking about that song in particular in the past few days.
‘I think I hoped people would join in because it is a bit of a Manchester anthem. Everyone sort of knows the words, and the sentiment behind it, don’t look back in anger, is so impor-
tant after something like this happens.’ She told BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘I started singing, and then there were a couple of voices behind me started, and then a couple more, and then everyone started joining in and it was really beautiful.
‘Afterwards people were coming up to me and throwing their arms around me and saying thank you, which was really unexpected, but really beautiful.’
Saying some people were not sure whether they should join in, she said: ‘Of course you should, you know, drown out any of the fear and hate with beautiful voices. That’s the best thing to do.’
The moving tribute came as civic squares and shopping centres up and down the country came to a standstill at yesterday morning to stand in solidarity with the people of Manchester. Crowds gathered at London’s Parliament and Trafalgar Squares, Newcastle’s Grey’s Monument, Victoria Square in Birmingham and Cabot Circus shopping centre in Bristol.
Hundreds of people gathered outside Greater Manchester Police HQ, with crowds pouring out of nearby buildings to join officers.
Police officers stationed at suicide bomber Salman Abedi’s last known address in the Fallowfield suburb also paused their duties and stood facing away from the property – helmets or hats in hands – to stand quietly for 60 seconds.
In courts across the land, proceedings paused as judges, jurors, lawyers and defendants stood in silence as a mark of respect.
Former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher expressed his sorrow this week following the attack, tweeting: ‘In total shock and absolutely devastated about what’s gone down in MANCHESTER sending love and light to all the families involved.’