CLICK THE LINK ON THE TOP RIGHT FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM CHAMBERLAIN SQUARE >>
 | | Gathering in the Square |
In Birmingham city centre, offices, shops and public spaces fell silent. The Big Wheel ceased spinning. Trains, buses and the Metro stopped. New Street station came to a standstill. Prayers were said at Birmingham Central Mosque, before the two-minutes were observed. A service took place in Birmingham Cathedral. From 11.30am, hundreds of people gathered in Chamberlain Square, around the Big Screen showing scenes from other vigils being held across the country. The numbers in Chamberlain Square were swelled by construction workers from the Town Hall.
 | | Observing the silence |
At 12 noon, church bells rang in the distance and the mood became more sombre, as those who had been sitting rose to their feet to observe the silence. Grace and Anna were among those who stood in Chamberlain Square: "We're here to pay our respects," they said. "It's disrespectful to go walking around." Des, from Balsall Heath, had been working on the Town Hall. He stopped to join his colleagues on the steps in front of the Central Library. "It's just for respect for the people who lost their lives, last week," he said. "It's just important to pay respect... it could have been anyone of us, really."
 | | Des |
T. Singh from Coventry, also stood in Chamberlain Square. He thought it was important to observe the silence because: "It is so we can all unite together... I'm suprised so many people have come out." Anne from Erdington was visiting the city centre just to observe the silence. "Because I've got a family and people lost their families, it's just respect, because they did nothing wrong, they're just victims, aren't they?" she said. "That's all you can say. If you can't give two minutes of silence for what's happened... A lot of people did stand, but the traffic still seemed to be going, in some places didn't it? A shame, I thought everything would come to a complete standstill. But you've just got to carry on, haven't you? You've just got to carry on."
 | | Anne |
Rupi, from Dudley, observed the silence in the grounds of Birmingham Cathedral. "I did it as a form of respect for all those who died in the London bombings and also to, kind of, form a united front against all those terrorists who think they can just terrorise everybody. "I was in London at the time, I wasn't affected directly, although, my brother and sister were travelling on the tube at the same time. They had just left, just before it had happened. I was quite frightened for a short amount of time, until I knew they were safe. I am going to start work in London, again, in September, so I am a little bit worried.
 | | Rupi |
"By the Cathedral was very nice, lots of people had come out of their offices to observe the silence." Pav's sister is a doctor, in London. She has treated some of the victims from the bombings. "Well, we're all lucky to be alive, when people have lost their lives..." said Pav on the steps in front of the Central Library. "We should pay our respects to that. Many innocent people have lost their lives." Was Pav suprised that so many people in Birmingham were marking the silence?
 | | Pav |
"I wasn't suprised at all, actually, I expected there would be this many people out. To be honest... it was quite emotional, I've got to say. Everybody's got brothers, sisters... that's just the way it is. Everybody's got some sort of connection to this, somewhere along the line." CLICK THE LINK ON THE TOP RIGHT FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM CHAMBERLAIN SQUARE >> | 
