Minute’s silence for victims of Grenfell tower and Finsbury Mosque attack

Parliamentarians united yesterday as they paid tribute to the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire and the Finsbury Mosque terror attack with a minute’s silence.
Shortly before noon, the morning session of Parliament recessed and MPs made their way to the lobby to participate in the mark of respect for those who lost their lives in both tragedies.
The Governor Lieutenant General Edward Davis, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and the Speaker of the House Adolfo Canepa led the tribute, which was also attended by the Rock’s religious and community leaders.
Passers-by and people in nearby cafes also fell silent during the solemn act.
In recessing the session - the first meeting of the House since a spate of terrorist attacks hit the UK - Mr Picardo reflected on those recent atrocities.
He said: “This is the first meeting of the House since the attack at the Manchester Arena, which incredibly is just over a month ago, the Borough Market attack, the Finsbury Mosque attack and the tragedy at Grenfell Tower.”
“In relation to the Manchester Arena, I think that many of us could not believe that we were witnessing such a vicious terrorist attack at an event that was in effect attended by young people and children, some of whom were just having a great night out.”
“At Borough Market, a place where people were enjoying an evening out in that fantastic city that is London, again terrorists trying to change people’s ability to enjoy freedom and liberty especially in a city as cosmopolitan as London.”
“And then only two days ago at Finsbury Mosque a cowardly attempt to create a conflict of religion in civilisations where a man died because he was in the region of his place of worship and his place of worship was attacked.”
“Terrorists are terrorists whatever religion they may be…” he said.
Mr Picardo further highlighted Tuesday’s thwarted attack in Brussels where, he said, some Gibraltarians had been in the area at the time of the incident.
He added: “It is also exactly a week since the horrific event of the Grenfell Tower…we have seen such horrific scenes everyone watching the news I think would have been horrified and will likely have turned away to see what was happening in London.”