Mum’s walk to Downing St to demand Martyn’s Law
THE mother of Manchester Arena bombing victim Martyn Hett will walk from the venue to Downing Street next month to demand the introduction of stronger protections against terrorism in public places.
Martyn’s Law, named in tribute to the 29-year-old who was one of 22 people killed at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017, would require venues and local authorities in the UK to have preventative plans against terror attacks.
Mr Hett’s mother
Figen Murray has long campaigned for the introduction of the law, which has yet to get beyond draft stage.
On May 7, she will walk from the spot where her son was killed to Downing Street, arriving on May 22 – the seventh anniversary of his death.
She will be joined on the walk by her husband and other family members, as well as survivors of terror attacks, as she pays her respects at other sites of terror attacks along the way.
Ms Murray said her world “completely changed” when her son was killed in the attack. “No parent should have to experience the pain and loss I’ve felt and I truly believe we have an opportunity to make public spaces safer and more secure by introducing Martyn’s Law,” she said.
“The Prime Minister and senior government ministers have reassured me that they are committed to introducing this game-changing legislation, but almost five years on from their first commitment, the draft legislation still hasn’t been tabled. This is putting our country at risk.
At the end of her walk she will handdeliver a letter to the Prime Minister.
Last year, a draft of the new law was criticised by the Commons Home Affairs Committee.
The committee warned that the draft Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill would put small businesses and organisations at risk of closure and fail to “make a significant impact” on preventing attacks.
MPs found the draft Bill, which has different standards based on venue capacity, would require a local village hall to have certain safety precautions, while an outdoor market in a city centre would not.
They said it was a “concern” that attacks which had occurred in some parts of the UK, such as in Scotland, would not fall into the draft Bill’s scope.
Since her son’s death, Ms Murray has obtained a masters degree in counterterrorism and received an OBE.
Martyn Hett