Twentieth anniversary of 7/7 terror attacks: Remembering the victims and emergency responders
Nathan Emmerich, comms expert and integral member of the Martyn’s Law campaign team, reflects on the impact of 7/7 and how we must never forget the strength in our diversity, culture and beliefs to ensure that extremists do not weaken the ties that make our society vibrant and strong.
20 years on from the horrific terror attacks in London, which took the lives of 52 innocent people and resulted in life changing injuries for more than 700 people, the tragedy of 7/7 is a constant reminder of the need for vigilance and the importance for working collaboratively across society to build a safer future for everyone.
The four bombings which were carried out across London’s transport network were an attempt by home-grown terrorists to fracture the fabric of our society. They did not and they cannot succeed.
Instead, the British public and our emergency services showed resilience and unity, underscoring the enduring truth that despite attempts to divide us, our shared humanity will always prevail.
The ideologies that led to the 7/7 attacks should serve as a constant reminder of the dangers lurking beneath the surface of extremism. Terrorism is indiscriminate, brutal and those who carry out terror attacks do not care who they kill.
It is important to contextualise the terrorism threat picture in the UK – the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) has set the current national threat level as ‘substantial’, meaning a terror attack is likely.
We know that extremists and terrorists look to exploit and recruit individuals who are vulnerable to their ideologies. We’ve seen this repeatedly by groups such as ISIS and groups on the extreme far right who have utilised social media to spread hateful ideologies and misinformation.
The ripple effects of geopolitical conflicts have also been felt acutely in communities across the UK, with a 25% increase in hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales in the year ending March 2024. The vast majority of the 140,561 hate crime offences recorded were linked to race, with incidents against Jews doubling and incidents against Muslims increasing by 13%.
In the last year alone we’ve seen the consequence of intolerance in the aftermath of the horrific murders of young girls in Southport, when extreme far right groups targeted asylum seekers in temporary accommodation. More recently at Glastonbury, the rapper Bob Vylan was joined by thousands of people as he led chants of “death to the IDF”. These are reminders that hatred and intolerance, once unleashed, can rapidly permeate our society with significant consequences for communities.
This anniversary reaffirms the UK’s commitment to countering terrorism and in the years following 7/7, multiple governments have strengthened our approach to preventing further attacks through the Prevent programme and through counter terrorism legislation known as Martyn’s Law.
7/7 irrevocably shook the United Kingdom at its core but it was also a defining moment which affirmed that in the face of terrorism, we are resilient and will respond united. This anniversary reminds us that our shared humanity is our greatest shield against hatred and extremism.
Nathan Emmerich
