A suspected suicide bomber killed 22 people and himself at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England on Monday night. At least 59 people were injured in the explosion.
As people frantically search for loved ones and scrambled to evacuate the concert venue, members of the local Sikh community stepped up to offer their support.
Harjinder Singh, a well-known Sikh entrepreneur, tweeted that a number of gurdwaras, or Sikh temples, would open their doors to offer food and accommodations to anyone who needed it.
The blast took place near the box office of Manchester Arena, the largest indoor arena in Europe, just after the show ended. Many parents were awaiting their children outside to take them home after the sold-out show.
“You could feel it in your chest,” Catherine Macfarlane, a witness, told Reuters news agency. “It was chaotic. Everybody was running and screaming and just trying to get out.”
Taxi driver AJ Singh offered free rides to people looking for loved ones and making their way to the hospital after the explosion.
As vigils and demonstrations of support got underway, Sikh groups were there in full force handing out food and water and marching in solidarity.
Bhai Amrik Singh, chair of the Sikh Federation (UK), responded to the attack in a statement on Facebook, saying: “The lives of 22, including children have horrifically been cut short by this evil act of terror. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured in this vile attack.”
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