Civic, community and faith leaders in Ipswich joined the Mayor for a minute’s silence today in memory of the victims of the Grenfell Tower inferno.
They also paid their respects to those caught up in the horrific attack outside a mosque in North London, where one person died and others were injured.
The Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, the Rt Revd Martin Seeley, was among those taking part outside the Town Hall at 11am, along with Ipswich MP Sandy Martin, Ipswich Borough Councillors and staff and representatives of many of the town’s communities.
The Mayor, Councillor Sarah Barber, said: “We are again mourning the victims of two very different incidents but are coming together as one to pay our respects. The death toll of the Grenfell fire continues to rise and now we have another shocking event in Finsbury Park. We may feel helpless here in Ipswich but we can and must show solidarity. Our community is stronger together and we must continue to demonstrate that what affects one community affects us all. I would also like to pay tribute, again, to the courage and dedication of the emergency services."
As well as the silence on the Town Hall steps, staff of Ipswich Borough Council, like councils across the country, observed a minute’s tribute to the victims of both events.
