Posted on 09/13/2001 9:27:47 PM PDT by RonDog
September 13, 2001
World Pays Tribute to Attack Victims
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 4:16 p.m. ET
LONDON (AP) -- A military band played the U.S. national anthem at an unprecedented Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, ordered by Queen Elizabeth II in a show of solidarity with the American people.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer called the British gesture ``very touching,'' and noted that Britain, too, lost citizens in the attack.
``The United States is not the only nation that mourns,'' Fleischer said. ``And so, it's a further expression of the wonderful solidarity that the world is showing with the United States.''
Across Europe and the world, nations mourned victims of Tuesday's terror attacks in the United States, ordering flags flown at half-staff, declaring national days of mourning and observing periods of silence.
Paying tribute to the hundreds of American firefighters who died, firefighters in Hungary tied black ribbons on their vehicles and Polish firetrucks sounded their sirens in the afternoon.
In London, thousands of onlookers -- and hundreds of Americans -- stood eight deep at Buckingham Palace's front gates and lined the road to the queen's main residence. Some carried miniature U.S. flags.
``I want to be closer to home right now and this is the closest we can get,'' said 34-year-old Laura Esposito of Boston, who was wrapping up a vacation in Sweden when the terrorists struck and has been unable to return home.
Prince Andrew, the queen's second son, and U.S. Ambassador William Farish attended the 45-minute ceremony. Queen Elizabeth planned to return from her vacation in Scotland to attend a service Friday at St. Paul's Cathedral for Americans living in London.
After the anthem finished, the crowd applauded, then fell quiet to observe two minutes of silence.
``I think Americans should gather together at a time like this,'' said Monroe Haas, 67, of New York City, who had been scheduled to return home from vacation on Wednesday.
Jenny Lee, 31, of San Francisco, saluted and waved a cardboard flag she had made herself and others said they felt less isolated being surrounded by fellow Americans.
``I was really touched that the queen has done this,'' Lee said. ``Even though I'm so many miles from home, I feel that the U.K. is really with us on this one.''
Queen Elizabeth planned to return from her vacation in Scotland to attend a service Friday at St. Paul's Cathedral for Americans living in London.
Much of the world came together Thursday to remember victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Russian television and radio stations halted their broadcasts, church bells tolled across Austria and German leaders quietly gathered on the steps of the chancellory in Berlin.
``I am here to show that the German people feel for the American people,'' said 37-year-old Berndt Mattig, who joined hundreds in front of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, amid a sea of flowers spread along the street leading up to the building.
Across Scandinavia, a minute of silence brought buses and trams to a temporary halt. Finnish tram driver Mika Savela, 31, said, ``Innocent people were killed, and we showed our respect for them and their families.'' Norway's King Harald V and Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg gathered in Oslo Cathedral for a memorial service, and flags in Turkey flew at half-staff.
The terror attacks also prompted unusual unity and an outpouring of sympathy from China.
Putting aside months of angry words over Taiwan and a spy plane collision, Chinese President Jiang Zemin offered help with rescue efforts.
In Japan, professional baseball players and 14,000 fans observed a moment of silence before their game at Osaka Dome.
In Iran, several dozen Iranians held a candlelight vigil in a public square in the capital, Tehran, ignoring police orders to disperse.
``We have gathered here to tell the American people that we, too, mourn the death of their innocent beloved ones. We feel as if our own beloved ones have lost their lives,'' said Mitra Sadeqi, 40, who wept as she lit a candle with her daughter.
International insurer Lloyd's of London rang a bell salvaged from British Frigate HMS Lutine in the 19th century that traditionally signals news of a missing ship, but has been rung to mark other tragedies, such as the death of Princess Diana.
Pope John Paul II said he shared in the grief of the American people and that he was praying for them, and Romania's Orthodox Church scheduled memorial prayers in all churches and monasteries on Friday.
French and Polish leaders attended memorial services, while the leaders of Canada, Croatia, Albania, Czech Republic and South Korea declared Friday a day of national mourning. Greenland and Bulgaria also planned to hold a minute's silence on Friday.
Please add links to any OTHER important threads about the current crisis that you think others may have missed. I will, too.
Two American women sing the U.S. national anthem at the Queen Victoria Monument outside Buckingham Palace in London Thursday, Sept. 13, 2001. A special Changing of the Guard ceremony followed by two-minutes of silence took place in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks on the United States. Photo by Alastair Grant (AP)
From an EXTRAORDINARY photo thread:
some photos from around the world regarding disaster
Posted on 09/13/2001 08:06:34 PDT by InvisibleChurch
At the close of the anthem there was brief, almost defiant applause. Then the entire crowd, old and young, of all nationalities, bowed its head in prayer for those dead and missing.
This was followed by God Save the Queen (which no one mistook for God Bless America), the changing of the guard, and the recessional. It was utterly moving.
23 Posted on 09/13/2001 08:37:56 PDT by Gracchus
From
Star Spangled Banner played at changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace
Posted on 09/13/2001 06:04:49 PDT by KneelBeforeZod
Posted by Jim Robinson in:
FreeRepublic Fundraiser --WE WILL STAND UNITED!!!-- FreeRepublic NEEDS Your Help! (Thread 45)
Posted on 09/13/2001 10:02:39 PDT by BeforeISleep
They pay me to provide words that help make sense of that which troubles the American soul. But in this moment of airless shock when hot tears sting disbelieving eyes, the only thing I can find to say, the only words that seem to fit, must be addressed to the unknown author of this suffering...
...Let me tell you about my people. We are a vast and quarrelsome family, a family rent by racial, social, political and class division, but a family nonetheless. We're frivolous, yes, capable of expending tremendous emotional energy on pop cultural minutiae – a singer's revealing dress, a ball team's misfortune, a cartoon mouse...
...But there's a gulf of difference between making us bloody and making us fall. This is the lesson Japan was taught to its bitter sorrow the last time anyone hit us this hard, the last time anyone brought us such abrupt and monumental pain. When roused, we are righteous in our outrage, terrible in our force. When provoked by this level of barbarism, we will bear any suffering, pay any cost, go to any length, in the pursuit of justice...
You NEED to read the rest of this EXTRAORDINARY editorial by Leonard Pitts Jr. at:
We'll go forward from this moment
Posted on 09/12/2001 09:29:15 PDT by LBGA
``These people try to hide. They won't be able to hide forever.They think their harbors are safe, but they won't be safe forever. One has to say it's not just simply a matter of capturing people and holding them accountable, but removing the sanctuaries, removing the support systems, ending states who sponsor terrorism.''
God bless us all.
-BTTT-
God bless America.
Thank you again RonDog for the thread and HLL too for your post.
-G
Although I am not Christian, I'll be attending the memorial service in Southwark cathedral, near my place of work today, as a mark of respect and to honour those who died. All our thoughts are there with you over the other side of the Pond.
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