Signs appear across Manchester showing solidarity in the face of terror after Ariana Grande suicide bomb attack
MANCHESTER has sent a message of defiance to the world in the face of last night's suicide bomb attack as signs saying "We Love MCR" began popping up across the city this morning.
Posters and banners displayed the logo alongside a phone number for Greater Manchester Police as the city reels from the bombing, which killed 22 people including young children.
Young music fans were targeted by a lone attacker as they left an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena just after 10.30pm last night.
Georgina Callander is the first of the dead to be named after the explosion ripped through crowds as they left the arena for Manchester's Victoria Station.
Eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos was also killed in the blast, along with 26-year-old John Atkinson.
Celebrities including Cheryl, David Beckham and the stars of Coronation Street shared heartfelt tributes to the victims today as devastated US singer Grande announced she plans to cancel her tour.
Manchester City Council issued a defiant statement today, saying: "Despite the appalling events at the Manchester Arena last night, the city is open for business. Those people trying to sow fear will not succeed."
Thousands of adults, teenagers and children screamed and fled in panic as a terrorist detonated a bomb – thought to be packed with nails and bolts – as the concert ended.
Witnesses told of seeing shards of metal tearing into concert-goers in the foyer area of the world-famous concert venue – leaving dozens lying in pools of blood.
The blast could be heard echoing through the packed arena as families tried to make their way home as the concert came to an end just after 10.40pm.
Two former top anti-terror cops have said the atrocity was “well planned” and “sophisticated”.
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ISIS today claimed responsibility for the horrific attack as police investigate whether the bomber was part of a terror cell.
Just hours later, ISIS jihadis celebrated the “successful and surprising” attack which they claimed was “revenge for Mosul airstrikes”.
The Muslim Council of Britain blasted the arena attack as “horrific” and “criminal” in a statement this morning.
While the identity of the attacker – who died in the blast – has not yet been made public, a top counter-terror expert says the attack was “absolutely jihadi” in nature.
People have since been asked to register and give blood at a later date rather than turn up to donation centres today.
