Prague, May 24 (CTK) – British Ambassador Jan Thompson thanked the Czech public expressing sympathies and condolences on Monday’s terrorist attack in Manchester and said she feels touched by the reaction of Czechs.
Many people expressed their sympathies by laying flowers and candles at the British embassy’s seat in Prague on Tuesday.
Today, people streamed to the embassy to sign a book of condolences.
“Last night, it was extraordinary to see the Prague Petrin [lookout] tower lit up in the colours of the British flag as a gesture of solidarity from the city of Prague to the people of the UK and of Manchester. We have been incredibly touched by the reactions here,” Thompson said.
This afternoon, Thompson has been welcoming diplomats and politicians arriving to sign the book of condolences.
The first Czech ministers to arrive were Agriculture Minister Marian Jurecka and Culture Minister Daniel Herman (both Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL).
Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky (ANO) and Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) are among those to come later in the afternoon, Thompson said.
She said the embassy also received condolences from a number of “ordinary members of Czech society, from people who care about the United Kingdom and those who just want to show solidarity and friendship.”
She said she considers it horrible that children were the target of the terrorist attack at a concert of a U.S. singer.
The suicide bomb-attacker killed 22 people including himself, and wounded dozens.
“The terrorists want to destroy our way of life and they want to divide us, and an important thing is that we don’t give in to that and that we continue our way of life and that we stand together,” Thompson said.
rtj/dr/pv
