Manchester’s attack was an act of evil hate. But the reaction was a tide of goodness, of free rooms, hugs, taxis and cups of tea. Isn’t this the real story that we should all focus on?
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‘Small acts of kindness’ follow city’s attack
Manchester's attack was an act of evil hate. But the reaction was a tide of goodness, of free rooms, hugs, taxis and cups of tea. Isn't this the real story that we should all focus on?
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Chris Parker has been sleeping rough for about a year. On Monday night he was inside the foyer of Manchester Arena, when he heard a terrible bang.
A suicide bomber had detonated a "homemade" device at the end of the Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people.
But Parker did not run from the chaos. "My gut instinct was to run back and try and help," he told the Press Association yesterday.
Outside, Paula Robinson had been near to the arena when she felt the blast. She led fleeing teenagers to safety at a nearby hotel, and posted their location on social media for their parents. "We will look after them," she wrote.
As news of the violence spread, locals took to Twitter to offer spare rooms, car rides or hot drinks to stranded fans under the hashtag #RoomforManchester. Taxi drivers gave free rides in the city centre.
Throughout yesterday, the news was filled with stories of human kindness: queues to donate blood; free food and drinks for the emergency services; over £500,000 raised for families of the victims by a local newspaper.
Britain experienced both "the worst of humanity" and "the best," said the prime minister, Theresa May. "Countless acts of kindness brought people closer together."
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Should these stories, rather than death and destruction, have appeared on front pages today?
Yes, say some. The people we should be thinking about today are the attack's victims, and the everyday heroes who helped them. There was far more good on display than evil. This story is not "Manchester attacked," it is "Manchester responds with kindness."
That is a nice thought, say others, but it is not how the news works. Yes, the world is full of good people - but that is what makes the attacker's actions all the more terrible. It is natural for people to want to understand who he was.
Keywords
Suicide bomber - The man responsible has been identified as a 22-year-old named Salmen Ramadan Abedi. The police do not yet know if he was working alone or if he had help.
22 people - The police have confirmed that there are children among those killed. So far, the victims who have been named are Georgina Callender, John Atkinson and Saffie Roussos. At least 59 people were injured.
Twitter - A social media network, now known as X and owned by Elon Musk.
‘Small acts of kindness’ follow city’s attack
Glossary
Suicide bomber - The man responsible has been identified as a 22-year-old named Salmen Ramadan Abedi. The police do not yet know if he was working alone or if he had help.
22 people - The police have confirmed that there are children among those killed. So far, the victims who have been named are Georgina Callender, John Atkinson and Saffie Roussos. At least 59 people were injured.
Twitter - A social media network, now known as X and owned by Elon Musk.