St Ann’s Square: Within hours, the world’s media descends on the city to record the reaction of the city where bomber Salman Ramadam Abedi was born in 1994 and died in 2017.
Manchester Town Hall, Albert Square: The bee has been the symbol of Manchester since it was granted city status in 1842. Representing the ‘worker bees’ of this industrial powerhouse of the Victorian age, it can be seen all around the city on civic buildings, pint glasses, floor tiles.
Manchester Arena: Situated in the heart of the city next to its second largest railway station, Manchester Arena has the highest seating capacity of any indoor venue in the UK. 14,200 people, mainly children and teenagers, attended the Ariana Grande concert. 22 of them died, 119 were physically injured. The youngest victim was eight years old.
Tributes and messages of support and condolence begin to appear all over the city centre.
Market St: Days after May 22, Members of Islam Against Extremism directly address a city still reeling from the shockwaves. They offer an anti-terror message from the religion that many hold responsible for Salman Abedi’s actions.
Mancunians stand together.
St Ann’s Square draws in the curious, the press, the defiant and those in mourning.
St Ann’s Square: In the shadow of the historic church, people gather to reflect, talk and share. Response Pastors – trained volunteers who offer support and compassion to all in the event of a crisis or emergency – are on hand to offer emotional assistance.
St Peter’s Square: Floral tributes are left at monuments all over the city centre including these at Manchester’s Cenotaph, a memorial to the casualties of more conventional warfare.
Thousands of bee tattoos are inked all over the North West to raise money for the victims. Ariana Grande is one of the proud recipients and becomes an honorary Manc.
Bees buzz into Stephenson Square as resident graffiti artists respond to the defiant mood of the city.
Since 22 May, the bee has been reclaimed by Mancunians and proudly displayed a symbol of solidarity across the city.
St Peter’s Square: Messages and tributes are a reminder of the human loss.
St Peter’s Square: UK police officers traditionally carry out their duties unarmed.
St Ann’s Square: A diverse city gathers to pay its respects.
St Ann’s Square: The flowers continue to grow.
St Peter’s Square: Greater Manchester Police remain on full alert.
St Ann’s Square: Messages of condolence, support and solidarity appear on cards, scraps of paper and pavements. #WeStandTogether becomes a strong message of community cohesion.
Life goes on as one of the city’s cycle paramedic as usual.
St Ann’s Square: The media and Mancunians mingle.
St Ann’s Square: A sea of flowers and messages appears in St Ann’s Square overnight, turning it into an unofficial and spontaneous temporary memorial. It is reluctantly cleared by the council a 2 weeks later when it almost blocks the busy thoroughfare.
“Manchester is better than this. We Mancunians will rebuild, we will rebuild the fallen buildings, the broken lives and the social cohesion we once had.” Naveed Yasin. Muslim surgeon who treated many victims at Salford Royal Hospital.
