By Luke Smith
With the events of Monday’s attack in Manchester still fresh in the memory, De Montfort University observed a two-minute silence to remember the victims.
The silence was led on Friday by DMU Vice-Chancellor, Dominic Shellard, and was observed by over one hundred staff members and students.
Two advertising and marketing students at DMU, Hazel Stronach and Lauren Astell, said: “It’s really just a respect thing for us. I think it’s so important to take even just two minutes out of your day to remember the families of those affected.
“It also shows that events like we saw in Manchester shouldn’t divide us, but bring us closer together, showing the importance of standing together and not allowing those who so callously try to destroy our way of life to succeed, and not crumble in the face of adversity.”
Professor Shellard also addressed the congregation, saying: “It is important and very appropriate to celebrate and promote diversity and tolerance, with DMU being home to students from 141 different nationalities, and making sure it doesn’t add to divisiveness and prejudice.”
The attack, carried out on Monday night at the Manchester Arena during an Ariana Grande concert, killed 22 and injured dozens more.
The two-minute silence was part of DMU’s ‘Be The Change 2’ event, analysing and questioning the manifestos of each of the three main political parties (Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat) in preparation for the upcoming general election on Thursday, 8th June.
