'I survived Manchester Arena attack - we need a victim memorial to recognise our loss'

Terror attack survivors and grieving families today demand a monument to remember victims in a new campaign backed by the .

Nearly 4,000 have lost their lives in terror atrocities in the UK since 1970, but there is no universal memorial to honour their agony. As tomorrow marks eight years since the Arena bombing left 22 dead and more than a 1,000 injured and traumatised, victims are calling on the government to erect a physical tribute to ensure nobody is forgotten.

Last night Brendan Cox, whose Labour MP wife Jo Cox was murdered by a terrorist in 2016, backed our fight and said: “What we remember as a society matters - and the lack of a monument to honour victims of terror attacks has made many survivors feel like they don’t count.”

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In March, security minister Dan Jarvis launched a landmark consultation for a National Remembrance Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism, which is due to close next month, but this does not include plans for a physical shrine. Survivors say a memorial should be erected as part of the day to act as a focal point for remembrance events, not dissimilar to the Cenotaph war memorial in central London.

Manchester survivor Abi Quinn, who was just 12 when she narrowly missed terrorist Salman Abedi’s explosion and is still in therapy for the trauma, said: “As someone directly impacted by terrorism, and knowing how long the effects can last, we need a memorial to recognise the pain and the loss we’re still dealing with. It’s so important to keep the memory and our voices alive.

"It’s not just about remembering who we’ve lost, but it’s about knowing we’re not forgotten and we’ve not been cast aside and brushed under the carpet.”

Abi, a criminology student at the University of Liverpool, said organising a memorial and commemorative events should not be the responsibility of survivors and grieving families. She continued: “It’s hard enough for us to just come to terms with what we’ve been through; we shouldn’t also be burdened with the pressure of figuring out a way to remember. It makes our pain that bit more difficult.”

Statues honouring those who lost their lives in specific terror attacks already exist, including the 7/7 memorial in London’s Hyde Park, the Glade of Light in Manchester and the national memorial for British victims of overseas terrorism in Lichfield, Staffs. But survivors and the bereaved say a physical tribute to every UK terror victim is vital in representing the sheer scale of suffering.

Paul Price, who lost his partner Elaine in the Manchester Arena attack and sustained life-changing injuries, said: “Terror attacks not only affect the bereaved, victims and survivors, it’s an attack on everyone, it’s an attack on the state - so having a physical memorial would be very healing to the country as a whole.

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“When an attack like Manchester happens, it’s front page news for weeks and then quickly becomes yesterday’s news - but for the bereaved and survivors, the pain is ongoing forever.”

Paul, who will remember Elaine today (THURS) by enjoying a meal with her friends, added that a physical memorial would also act as a reminder of the ongoing threat of terrorism. Although it’s something we don’t like to think about, there have been terrorist attacks in the UK for decades, and sadly, there will be more.”

Michelle Jones, whose daughter Saskia, 23, was murdered in the Fishmongers’ Hall attack on London Bridge in November 2019, agrees.

She added: “It [a physical memorial] would serve as a visual reminder to the general public of the impact of terrorism and its consequences. It has taken too many years for a memorial and we are still waiting.

“Saskia died as a victim of an attack on the State. A physical memorial predominantly ensures our loved ones are not forgotten and it would act as a central point for us all to come together and find support in the healing process, as well as representing our strength and resilience.

“Although this consultation for a day of remembrance is a good start, it is my hope that a physical memorial will be actioned by the Government as a matter of urgency. They owe it to those we have lost as well as the people who continue to struggle on a daily basis.”

Calls for a physical monument for terror victims were first made in 2018 as part of a Survivors’ Charter by Survivors Against Terror, a network of people impacted by terror attacks. In a report by the organisation, an IPSOS survey revealed 78% of respondents would support a monument.

The Charter’s other demands include a day of remembrance, which is currently under government consultation, and an addition to the UK honours system, which would recognise the sacrifice of those injured or bereaved by terrorism.

Survivors Against Terror last night backed our campaign and said: “Victims of terror attacks aren’t picked for who they are - but as innocent representatives of our country. That means the government has a particular responsibility to honour their memory and a permanent memorial is a good place to start.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Today, our thoughts are with the victims and survivors of the Manchester Arena attack, as we mark eight years since the atrocity.

“Victims and survivors of terrorism require the highest levels of support to recover and rebuild their lives. We are currently consulting on how we can remember and honour the people who have lost their lives or continue to live with the long-lasting impacts of terrorism.

“The first duty of government is to keep our country safe, which is the foundation of our Plan for Change, and as part of this, we will set up a new dedicated support hub for victims and survivors, supporting their needs in the immediate and long-term aftermath of a terrorist attack.”

On May 22, 2017, terrorist Salman Abedi detonated a makeshift explosive device as more than 14,000 people left the Manchester Arena venue after an concert. The blast left 22 innocent people dead – including eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos.

A memorial would also bring solace to those impacted by historic attacks. These include the Birmingham IRA pub bombings on November 1, 1974, which killed 21 and injured 182. Fourteen years later in 1988, 243 passengers, 16 crew members and 11 residents were killed when terrorists detonated a bomb on board Pan Am Flight 103 as it flew over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.

In July 1990, Conservative MP Ian Gow was assassinated by the IRA when a booby trap bomb exploded under his car outside his home in East Sussex. Three years later in 1993, IRA bombs were detonated in several locations across Warrington, Cheshire, killing a three-year-old boy and 55 others.

In April 1999, terrorist David Copeland set off three nail bombs in London targeting the black, Bangladeshi and gay communities, killing three people, including a pregnant woman, and injuring 129. And in May 2013, British soldier Lee Rigby was murdered in Woolwich, southeast London, by Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, two Islamist extremists armed with a handgun, knives and a cleaver. The government was approached for comment.