Manchester Arena Bombing – 8 Years On
On May 22, 2017, a suicide bomber detonated a device at the end of an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena, killing 22 people, many of them children and teenagers. Over 800 others were injured.
- The youngest victim, Saffie-Rose Roussos, was just 8 years old.
- The attacker, Salman Abedi, was a British-born man of Libyan descent who acted alone but had links to extremist networks.
- The atrocity remains one of the worst terrorist attacks in the UK since 7/7.
A public inquiry into the bombing concluded in 2023, citing major failings in security and intelligence sharing that may have allowed the attack to happen.
Lee Rigby – 12 Years On
On May 22, 2013, Fusilier Lee Rigby, 25, was brutally murdered outside Woolwich Barracks in southeast London by two Islamic extremists, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale.
- The attackers struck him with a car before attacking him with knives and a cleaver in broad daylight.
- The motive was claimed to be revenge for British military involvement in Muslim countries.
Lee’s murder shocked the nation and became a grim symbol of homegrown extremism. His memory is honoured each year, with tributes at his memorial in Woolwich and support for the Lee Rigby Foundation, which helps bereaved military families.
We Will Never Forget
Today, we pause to remember the 22 innocent victims of the Manchester Arena bombing and Fusilier Lee Rigby, taken from us in acts of senseless violence. Their memories live on in the hearts of a nation that stands united against hatred.
#Manchester22 #LeeRigby #NeverForget #22May
