11 July 2005
TUC welcome for London United vigil
Commenting on Ken Livingstone’s announcement of a vigil involving the Greater London Authority, the TUC and faith communities on Thursday evening in Trafalgar Square to mark the London bombings, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
'This will be the opportunity for London to come together to show sympathy for the victims, defiance to the terrorists, thanks to the emergency services and to unite as a city proud of its diversity.'
Text of Ken Livingstone’s statement:
'On Thursday 14 July London will remember all of those who died last Thursday and show its defiance of those who try to change the character of our city through terror.
'At noon millions of Londoners will observe two minutes silence. Every bus in the city will stop, businesses will stop and I want everyone who can to come out of their workplaces and homes onto the streets of London to remember those who died and to show their complete defiance of the terrorists.
'At 1pm books of condolences will be opened in Trafalgar Square for all Londoners and visitors to the city to sign throughout the day.
'At 6pm Londoners are invited to a vigil in Trafalgar Square to remember those who died, to show that London will not be moved from our city's goal of building an open, tolerant, multi-racial and multi-cultural society showing the world its future and to thank the heroes of the transport and emergency services who saved so many lives last Thursday.
'The vigil is organised with the Trades Union Congress and representatives of London' s different faiths and communities. There will be readings and poems by prominent Londoners, different communities and some of those from the transport and emergency services.'