Royals lead ‘Service of Hope’ after terror attack

Hundreds of floral tributes still carpet a corner of Parliament Square, marking the shock that jolted the capital following those 82 seconds of mayhem and murder at its heart two weeks ago.
But terror yielded to hope yesterday at a service at Westminster Abbey for the dead, the injured, and all those who came to their aid.
Candles were lit and held by each the 1,800 congregation as an act of commitment, shining brightly as a tangible symbol that light will always overcome darkness.
Families of the four victims who were killed, and survivors of the March 22 Westminster Bridge attack, were joined by paramedics, nurses, doctors – the first aid responders dispatched to the scene – community and faith leaders, ambassadors and politicians.
Among them, Melissa Payne Cochran, from Utah, who lost her husband Kurt, 54 in the attack. She smiled as she arrived at the abbey in a wheelchair after being treated for leg and rib injuries. The couple were in London celebrating their 25th anniversary.
Those who also died as a result of the attack were mother-of-two Aysha Frade, 44, a college worker on her way to collect her children from school, Leslie Rhodes, 75, a retired window cleaner from Clapham south London, and police constable Keith Palmer, 48, stabbed while on duty guarding the Houses of Parliament.
Relatives of the victims, and those injured, had a private meeting with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry, who attended the service.
A sea of dark blue filled the abbey as up to 300 members of the Metropolitan police service took their seats to pay tribute to one of their own. Palmer, a father-of-two, was stabbed to death as he tackled attacker Khalid Masood, 52.
Masood was shot dead by an armed officer after driving a rented 4x4 into crowds on Westminster Bridge, before stabbing Palmer, unarmed and on gate duty.
Rows of green uniforms represented the medical workers who attended the shocking scene and later treated the injured.
The abbey saw faith leaders join Home Secretary Amber Rudd, London mayor Sadiq Khan, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Commons Speaker John Bercow and acting Metropolitan police commissioner Craig Mackey as the Dean of Westminster, John Hall, reminded all: “At a time of sorrow, a time when we are tempted to despair, may we find hope.”
Prince William laid of wreath of spring flowers, including red and white roses and gerbera, at the Innocents Victims memorial as he arrived. His card read: “In memory of the innocent lives; lost to us all on the 22nd March 2017.”
Inside, Hall told the invited congregation the attack had left everyone “bewildered and disturbed”. But the flowers, many fresh, some now fading, laid out on the green, and tied to lamp posts on the bridge, and the accompanying messages spoke to “determination and defiance in the face of evil and terror”, he said. They were “simple statements of courage, ‘we are not afraid’ and ‘we stand together.’’
Up to 50 had been injured, some seriously. “Those killed and injured included Londoners, but also people from the US, from Romania, France, South Korea, Italy, China, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Poland and Ireland,” said Hall.
“We weep for the violence, for the hatred, for the loss of life, for all that divides and spoils our world. It was not meant to be like this. It should not be like this. Violence and hatred are not the answer,” he said in his address.
He added: “We have called this a Service of Hope. And despite the horror of the random killing and hatred shown two weeks ago today, there is much for which we can be thankful and much to offer us hope.”