Britain will unite to remember the lives lost in the 7/7 bombings on the 20th anniversary of the attacks, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said.
On 7 July 2005, four suicide bombers struck London’s transport network, killing 52 people and injuring more than 770 on three tubes and a bus.
On the 20th anniversary of the attacks, Sir Keir said the country would “honour the courage shown that day – the bravery of the emergency services, the strength of survivors, and the unity of Londoners in the face of terror”.
“Those who tried to divide us failed. We stood together then, and we stand together now – against hate and for the values that define us of freedom, democracy and the rule of law,” he added.
The number 30 double-decker bus in Tavistock Square, which was destroyed by a bomb on 7/7. File pic: PA
A casualty is taken away on a stretcher after a series of explosions in the London Underground. File pic: Reuters
The King also urged Britain to come together, saying: “As we remember those we lost, let us therefore use this 20th anniversary to reaffirm our commitment to building a society where people of all faiths and backgrounds can live together with mutual respect and understanding, always standing firm against those who would seek to divide us.”
He said his “heartfelt thoughts and special prayers” remained with those whose lives were forever changed on 7 July 2005, as “we remember with profound sadness the 52 innocent people who were killed in senseless acts of evil – and the enduring grief of their loved ones”.
“We recall, too, the hundreds more who carry physical and psychological scars, and pray that their suffering may ease as the years pass,” the King added.
Two decades have passed, but for the victims’ families, survivors and the responders, 7/7’s impact is still being felt.
A damaged London Underground train following a bomb blast on 7 July 2005. File pic: Reuters
He called on the nation to remember the “extraordinary courage and compassion” in the face of the horrors of the 7/7 bombings.
This includes the bravery of emergency services, transport workers, and fellow citizens who rushed towards danger to help strangers – he said they remind us “of the very best of humanity in the face of the very worst”.
The King said comfort can be taken from “the way such events rally communities together in solidarity, solace and determination” and the “spirit of unity” in London and across Britain, which allowed the country to heal.
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Eyewitness: I was reporting in London on day of 7/7 bombings
The Royal Family is set to join services and memorials to mark the anniversary on Monday, with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attending the National Service of Commemoration at St Paul’s Cathedral.
The Prince of Wales will attend a separate service with relatives of victims in Hyde Park.
