Belfast City Hall to light up for Manchester bomb attack victims
Belfast City Hall will light up in the colours of the Union flag on Tuesday night as a mark of respect for the victims of Monday night's suicide bomb attack in Manchester.
Last updated 23rd May 2017
Politicians across Northern Ireland expressed shock and sadness today after last night’s bomb blast in Manchester.
Party leaders sent messages of sympathy to the families via social media – and planned party events today have been cancelled throughout the province as a mark of respect.
Both DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein’s leader at Stormont, Michelle O’Neill posted their condolences on Twitter.
Mrs Foster said her “thoughts and prayers” were with the families affected and the emergency services at the scene.
She added that she had asked all DUP candidates to suspend campaigning today.
Mrs O’Neill also expressed sympathy for families.
And in a statement, the party said its scheduled Billboard launch for today would no longer go ahead as a mark of respect for the victims and their families.
Meanwhile, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood also suspended the party’s election campaign and branded the incident “a heart-breaking act of barbarism”.
“Today the thoughts of the SDLP, our candidates and our members are with the victims of the attack on Manchester,” he added.
In a statement, UUP leader Robin Swann described the attack as “barbaric” and “a cowardly act”. He said it was “an attempt to destroy our way of life and will not succeed.”
He said the party would be suspending campaigning today as “a mark of respect and in a stance of solidarity with the people of Manchester.”
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long also took to Twitter to say her thoughts were with those caught up in the explosion. The party's election campaigning has also been suspended today.