Gill Hicks (middle) was the last person to be removed alive from the bombed railway carriage at Russell Square on 7/7/2005. She lost both legs. This morning walking on artificial limbs and supported by her husband, she laid flowers to remember those who died around her. Tonight they will be holding a party for friends, some are transport workers and medical staf who came to her aid that day. They know there will be tears but the party is not for sorrow. Rather it is to re-afirm the lives they are now living.
Others touched by the attack are finding different ways of moving on. The priest who resigned her parish after the death of her daughter meant she could not forgive has determined that after today she will find other ways to serve.
For the rest of London today was a time for respect. At noon the city ground to a halt for two minutes silence. But a year on, many passed by the preparations for the ceremonies at the exact time of the explosions. More commuters use public transport today than they did in 2005.
There have been changes. The stations are regularly checked by Tranport Police special units for the presence of possible toxins. Sniffer dogs scurry round checking for explosives – with most people slightly put out that their attempts to pat are ignored – the dogs are trained to sit when they do detect something. There are stop and searches which look worryingly like the accused are guilty of being brown and carrying a rucksack. Police have made huge mistakes based on error or “intelligence” that turned out to be wrong.
More importantly perhaps, Blair’s most draconian attempts to change the law have been challenged. “Fighting terrorism” is not the excuse for any and all laws removing fundamental liberties. Best of all, Londoners of all faiths and none have come together. At first their message was “we are not afraid” but now it is “we will not be changed”. That is the final defeat of attempts to terrorise the population.