Manchester united year on from tragedy

by NADEEM BADSHAH

COMMUNITIES SHOW SOLIDARITY AFTER ATTACK

THE Manchester Arena attack has united commu­nities against extremism and terrorists have failed in their bid to divide the city, local groups said as tributes were paid to those who lost their lives in the deadly incident.

Last Tuesday (22) marked one year since Salman Abedi detonated an explosive device as fans were leaving an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people and injuring more than 500.

A national service of remembrance attended by prime minister Theresa May and Prince William was among events that took place to remember the victims.

Irfan Chishti MBE, an imam at Manchester Central Mosque, told Eastern Eye: “May 22 marked an important day for Manchester – it saw once again communities from all backgrounds come together in grief and solidarity.

“The Mancunian spirit was strong before and will continue to remain so. Resilience and defiance against extremist ideologies are our hallmarks.”

Other events to mark the anniversary have included an Embracing Manchester art exhibition inspired by Muslim blogger Baktash Noori, who carried a sign which read: “I’m Muslim and I trust you. Do you trust me enough for a hug?” in the wake of the attack.

Local taxi drivers, including Sam Arshad and AJ Singh, were praised for rushing to the scene of the at­tack and taking victims to hospital free of charge and reuniting them with loved ones.

Singh, from Cheshire, said he was in bed on the night when a friend rang to tell him about the bomb­ing. “I popped into one of the local shops, got a pen and paper, and wrote Free Taxi on the back of my car.

“I was taking people to hospital, family members wanting to reunite with loved ones. My friend at a lo­cal takeaway gave us 60 pizzas. I got a load of drinks from the cash and carry.

“It was amazing how people opened their doors and how we pulled together. The kids are going to re­member us for future generations, they will tell their kids: ‘This guy helped us’.”

His sentiments were shared by the chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation in Greater Manchester, Mohammed Shafiq, who said: “On that night we saw the worse of humanity but we also saw the best of humanity in the response from our great city.

“From the bravery of the emergency services to the taxi drivers who helped concert goers get home safely, we saw that in adversity we as Mancunians come to­gether and never give in to violence.”

Nick Taylor is CEO of The Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace, in Cheshire, which supports victims of terror attacks around the world with coun­selling and advice. It supported more than 100 people affected by the Manchester bombing.

He said: “The peace foundation has been working with schools and communities to promote cohesion and to ensure we challenge all forms of hatred and promote diversity.

“Manchester stood up against those who perpetrate violent extremism and shown that they will not defeat us. Commemorations will bring together communities from across the city in a strong display of solidarity.

“We will remember those who sadly lost their lives last May by promoting peace and rejecting division.”

Rabbi Warren Elf, community development worker at Faith Network for Manchester, said people from dif­ferent faiths have made the city stronger since last May’s atrocity.

He told Eastern Eye: “One year on, the grief shared by all has only strengthened our resolve to champion the spirit of the city. Working with thousands of peo­ple from different faiths across Manchester, we are firm in the belief that we are stronger together.

“Manchester has been and always will be a place where people from all backgrounds are welcome and can feel at home.

“It is a city which does not shy away from calling out injustices, condemning those who seek to divide us, and upholding the values that unite us.”

Shafiq added: “To those from the far-right, we re­ject your racism and Islamophobia, you are not wel­come in our city. Ours is a city of diversity and unity, as seen in the way it has come together over these past twelve months.”