Explosion at the M.E.N

[bennyk]

Not saying that previous attacks haven't been as serious and had the same impact, because they almost certainly have. But for me, this is by far the worst, as a music lover and a place I've seen some of my favorite artists and bands. This has really hit home to me and genuinely made me stop, think and reflect. 

At gigs, I go into a bubble, a bubble that is of pure happiness and excitement. Nobody should ever go to see a artist they love and never return home. 

We have to go and dance our shoes off and create memories for the people affected. My thoughts are genuinely with you all.

[shuttlep]

I am from Manchester and work in the center

 

it took me two and  a half hours to get to work  today, everyone stuck in traffic .. no one was even angry everyone letting you get in front of them.. no anger no beeping horns.

 

I am now sat in a very quiet office

 

you know something big has happened

[bennyk]

Just now, shuttlep said:

I am from Manchester and work in the center

 

it took me two and  a half hours to get to work  today, everyone stuck in traffic .. no one was even angry everyone letting you get in front of them.. no anger no beeping horns.

 

I am now sat in a very quiet office

 

you know something big has happened

Exactly the same, my office is eerily quiet, just south of Manchester. 

 

Just horrible

[philipsteak]

2 hours ago, FuzzyDunlop said:

Just trying to get to work, traffic is horrendous. Im not sure what time Ill make it. The bus has not moved in 20 mins

Off to see Stewart Lee tonight. The atmosphere will be very odd. 

You never think something like this happens on your own front door. Been to the arena a hell of lot, seeing the scenes of last night is awful.

Much love to all.

Me too. The Lowry just confirmed it's still going ahead, but yeah, will be very odd

[stuartbert two hats]

9 minutes ago, verrymerry said:

Mew?  Me too, had such a nice time and didn't have a clue what had gone on until this morning, absolutely devastated by whats happened in our city   

@Lucy92 and @stuartbert two hats have you guys heard anything yet? xx

No, I'm just watching my mate's Twitter account to see if there's any word, no-one knows where he is yet.

[Junglist1981]

1 minute ago, Quark said:

The same thing should happen to Katie Hopkins as should happen to Paul Golding, Anjem Choudhary, Abu Hamza and all the other mouthpieces that are flipsides of the same shitty coin.

They should be given the space to come out with their views as we treasure freedom of speech, whether you agree with the message or not.

But those views should then be held up, critically examined in the public eye, have their fundamental flaws, contradicting points and weak arguments exposed, and the whole thing ridiculed for the half baked extremist claptrap that it is.

And the most important thing is that this ridicule should be given the same high-profile media platform that they use.  Her appearances on whatever TV show she manages to get on should include her trying to argue her case against a rational, critical counter-point so that we can watch her straw man arguments get pulled apart piece by piece on national tv.

The papers and media that scream outrage, quite rightly, at mouthpieces of terror should do the same to those that don't have the media platform that Hopkins gets.  Tear their arguments down piece by piece.  It's an ideological battle, and you can't drown out an idea by screaming at it.

Again, as should happen with all of them.

Agree wholeheartedly.

Trouble is these people are very adept at making populist statements and twisting any debate to disguise or justify their prejudice (racism in Hopkins case). You could sit her on TV opposite the most sensible reasonable person going and she'd still manage to spread her message to those who have a little racist hiding inside of them.

To help stop the spread of intolerance strong messages need to come from those in authority and so I would hope to see the PM making it clear that whomever did this (assuming of course it was isis related) does not represent normal muslims. But I'm not holding my breath. 

[verrymerry]

7 minutes ago, shuttlep said:

I am from Manchester and work in the center

 

it took me two and  a half hours to get to work  today, everyone stuck in traffic .. no one was even angry everyone letting you get in front of them.. no anger no beeping horns.

 

I am now sat in a very quiet office

 

you know something big has happened

I'm working from home (pre-planned) but I wish I was in town, just to be there with everyone 

[Avalon_Fields]

38 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Urgh

 

Very best wishes to you, hope all turns out OK

[verrymerry]

2 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

No, I'm just watching my mate's Twitter account to see if there's any word, no-one knows where he is yet.

 hopefully he just can't get in touch with anyone, phone could be messed up or anything.  Keeping positive for you all x

[bennyk]

The arndale has just been evacuated. Hope this is nothing and just a scare 

[stuartbert two hats]

I've never actually met the guy who is missing, so I feel like a bit of a fraud making out they're close. But his nephew is one of my daughter's best friends (they're 4).  Kids shouldn't have to know this shit goes on.  They haven't even started school yet.

[phillyfaddle]

25 minutes ago, H.M.V said:

I'm sure there's a better final solution for that odious mouth breather. 

I bloody hope so! What's just as depressing is the tweets from people who agree with her bile. They've shredded their souls, evil bastards, who are no better than the perpetrator of the bombing. 

[eFestivals]

18 minutes ago, The Nal said:

As for Katie Hopkins, why do people keep speaking about her? Mentioned a load of times now. Ignore her. The loony right thrives off being abused. Proves its working!

Spot on. And matching her hatred is nothing better.

Be sad for her, don't hate.

[Mattty]

The Arndale has been evacuated:

 

 

[bennyk]

2 minutes ago, Mattty said:

The Arndale has been evacuated:

 

 

this is just awful. State of panic across the city is devastating 

[henry bear]

17 minutes ago, The Nal said:

Interested to find out who the bomber was, his connections etc. 

Probably the usual story. To the people who look up to these terrorists they're freedom fighters, but usually they're petty criminals, sometimes with mental health issues and ripe for radicalisation 

[Alex DeLarge]

Rather than talking about Hopkins, let's focus on the hope that shone through last night, the taxi drivers offering free lifts, the home-owners offering a place to stay. In the face of adversity, Manchester showed the World their true spirit, a kindness we need in these trying times.

[verrymerry]

14 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

I've never actually met the guy who is missing, so I feel like a bit of a fraud making out they're close. But his nephew is one of my daughter's best friends (they're 4).  Kids shouldn't have to know this shit goes on.  They haven't even started school yet.

It hits hard when it's people you're connected to though, even if not personally, you're definitely no fraud mate x

[stuartbert two hats]

1 minute ago, verrymerry said:

It hits hard when it's people you're connected to though, even if not personally, you're definitely no fraud mate x

Yeah, I know.  Just don't want to be one of those vultures pretending to be best friends with someone I've never met.  "Daughter's friend's uncle" sounds a bit like one of those shit tips for next headliner of Glastonbury.

[Mattty]

4 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Yeah, I know.  Just don't want to be one of those vultures pretending to be best friends with someone I've never met.  "Daughter's friend's uncle" sounds a bit like one of those shit tips for next headliner of Glastonbury.

The real vultures in this are the journos surrounding your mate and hounding him to get a scoop. It's fucking shameful mate. 

Hope he gets some good news soon x

[squirrelarmy]

Media are scum in times like these. One of the worst culprits are the "journalists" from LadBible, they consider themselves to be a major news outlet now and they report on events like these just to gain website and advertising clicks. They're currently broadcasting live outside the Arndale, they aren't news people just money hungry vultures praying on victims.

[Lucy92]

2 hours ago, Quark said:

Any news Lucy? x

Still not found

[liamium]

Carrion hacks sniffing the exclusive human angle & pushing picture collages of trauma when people are still desperately trying to find their missing. Together with the outlets that routinely employ & pay the wages of bilge-rats like Hopkins & Mackenzie, they are poisoning any opportunity we have in this country to heal and mourn after things like this.

[EamerRed]

11 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

Media are scum in times like these. One of the worst culprits are the "journalists" from LadBible, they consider themselves to be a major news outlet now and they report on events like these just to gain website and advertising clicks. They're currently broadcasting live outside the Arndale, they aren't news people just money hungry vultures praying on victims.

Yeah the way they word their headlines is entirely for clickbait and absolutely nothing for the good of doing so. Can't stand any of these pages just full of crap.

[Quark]

7 minutes ago, Lucy92 said:

Still not found

Keeping fingers crossed