London stands still to remember blast victims

Aidan Hennigan

Outside the Irish Embassy, Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern, Irish Ambassador, Daithí Ó Ceallaigh, Foreign Affairs secretary general Dermot Gallagher and embassy staff joined this special tribute to the memory of the victims.

They had been joined by Londoners on the other side of the street, who at the end of the silence applauded in appreciation of the Irish tribute.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern led the nation in the two-minute silence as a gesture of solidarity with the people of London. Mr Ahern, who had urged the entire nation to join him in the silence at noon, stood alongside Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney and Finance Minister Brian Cowen in the courtyard of Dublin Castle.

All of the social partners, including trade unions, employers and community groups, broke from their high-level meeting with the Government to line up behind the ministers as the bells of Christchurch Cathedral rang out.

Thousands of people observed the silence around the country as the noon tribute was announced at Government buildings, offices, railway stations and airports.

As Big Ben chimed noon, remarkable scenes were repeated across the continents.

Cities in the 25 EU countries marked the two minutes, while on the other side of the Atlantic, the three US states affected by the September 11 atrocities offered their respect and support to Britain.

On London Underground, many staff members wore black armbands to commemorate the pain and tragedy inflicted on the city and its people.

In the capital’s mainline stations, shops and offices, work ceased as the carnage of a week ago was recalled.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair observed the two minutes in the garden of 10 Downing Street, where he had been presenting bravery awards to police officers.

At Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth emerged a few moments before noon and stood in the palace’s central arch.

In Trafalgar Square, office workers and tourists joined dignitaries including Britain’s deputy prime minister John Prescott, London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Olympic hero Sebastian Coe.

The 200-strong official party also included members of the emergency services, political and religious leaders and schoolchildren, as well as Bob Geldof, actress Keira Knightley and Olympic champions David Hemery, Daley Thompson and Denise Lewis.

Together they formed a human wall of defiance while behind them builders working on the National Gallery stood with their hard hats in their hands.

Following the silence, Mr Livingstone said: “The remarkable unity showed by Londoners today is not only the best way to commemorate those who died, and to express our determination that we will never change our life under the threat of terror, but is also our best defence against those who would attack us.”