A group of British Muslims handed out 3,000 roses to passersby and tourists at the London Bridge as a gesture of love, days after an attack at the iconic British site by Islamists claimed eight lives.
Muslims hand out 3,000 roses at London Bridge as a symbol of love following the Borough Market terror attack https://t.co/HF749mciWv pic.twitter.com/93yTpOjB0g
— The Sun (@TheSun) June 11, 2017
“After the events of last weekend we are making a symbolic gesture of love for the communities affected by the attack,” said Zakia Bassou, one of the organisers of the event.
“The whole concept is we are not going to let London Bridge, or any bridge, fall down,” she was quoted as saying by the Press Association.
British Muslims hand out 3,000 roses at London Bridge after attack https://t.co/NmiRSFqIzk via TOIWorld pic.twitter.com/3aUTnm9ifV
— mahalakshmi (@mahalakshmi3117) June 12, 2017
Londoner Elida Ercolano was visibly emotional after receiving her rose.
“I think its lovely, its what London is actually about as a city,” she said.
“Its what people should remember despite whats gone on. Its a great symbol and if nothing else its bringing people together,” Ercolano said.
British Muslims Offer 3,000 Roses At London Bridge After Recent Attacks https://t.co/4QnFk1PTPp
— #Kolkattans (@bejjatishq) June 12, 2017
“Its very easy to believe the fear but boil it down and we are actually, in the main, good people and we should remember that,” she added.
June Collis, from Gillingham, Dorset, said it was “beautiful and lovely to see the Muslim group come out and share their love against all the horrible things that have happened”.
Muslims hand out roses at train station after ‘anti-Islamic attack’ https://t.co/jL4YKAWeql#London #Hizmetmovement #Gulenmovement #Islam
— HizmetStudies (@HizmetStudies) December 14, 2016
“Muslims need to speak up and go against the extremists,” she was quoted as saying.
The gesture came just days after a suicide bombing at a concert in Manchester claimed 22 lives and an attack at the London Bridge by three terrorists, who drove a van into pedestrians and then went on a stabbing spree, killed eight persons.
British Muslims handed out thousands of free roses at London Bridge yesterday, in a message of hope one week after the terror attack. pic.twitter.com/lltzAG3qf6
— Press Association (@PA) June 12, 2017
Muslim groups across the country have condemned the horrific terror attacks.
Over 130 imams and Muslim religious leaders in the UK last week refused to perform the traditional Islamic funeral prayer for the London Bridge attackers, saying their “indefensible actions” were completely at odds with the teachings of Islam.
The gesture of distributing flowers evoked a warm response from Londoners with David Hackett, visiting the capital from Durham, saying he found the event “very touching”.
London Bridge: British Muslims hand out thousands of roses at site of ISIS terror attack https://t.co/YLT57Poe7E pic.twitter.com/1IgMNEaxDH
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) June 11, 2017
“Its great to see people giving such a beautiful thing to demonstrate the love people have for each other,” he said.
Nancy Cannata, from Massachusetts in the US, said, “Its very nice to see. And I think its nice that theyre Muslims — its not everybody in the Muslim community carrying out these attacks. There are good and bad people in every religion, and I wish people could realise that.”