Belfast falls silent for London bomb victims
Belfast fell silent today to remember the victims of the suicide bomb attacks on London.
The people of Northern Ireland are only too familiar with terrorist atrocities and the cruel loss of innocent lives.
But today more than 500 men, women and children stood still outside City Hall and shared the pain of the capital.
Lord Mayor Councillor Wallace Browne led the two-minute tribute, which was also observed by shops, businesses, rail and bus stations across the North.
The poignant silence, which was observed across the UK and Europe, was followed by a brief multi-faith service.
Councillor Browne said the thoughts and prayers of the city were with London after “the most vile of terrorist attacks”.
He told the crowd: “Our thoughts and our prayers go to those most deeply wounded; the people whose loved ones have been so brutally ripped from them, those who have been injured and those who still wait for news.
“Our hearts are with them all.
“There are no words to adequately describe the horror and revulsion, no words to describe our outrage at the barbaric and evil act of terrorism we witnessed against the people of London.”
The Lord Mayor said the people of the province could relate to the horror visited on London last week.
He said: “We faced 30 years of terrorist attacks across Northern Ireland with thousands of people losing their lives.
“We can truly appreciate the anguish of the people of London having lived through many similar and tragic experiences.
“The greatest lesson learned was that despite sustained efforts from those wishing to inflict optimum mayhem, we must never falter.”
Hundreds of shoppers also fell silent in the city’s Castle Court shopping centre while over 100 people stood silent outside the Guildhall in Derry.
