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Woolwich mourns murdered soldier | Woolwich mourns murdered soldier |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Just before 11am the iron-shod skies over Woolwich - and the unseasonable chill in the air - finally combined to produce a blast of hail, followed by driving rain. | |
The climactic conditions seemed apt. | The climactic conditions seemed apt. |
For the atmosphere in south-east London on Thursday morning was tense and sombre and rather scary. | |
At its epicentre: a roundabout, a tent, police officers clad in blue and the scene of a truly shocking crime. | At its epicentre: a roundabout, a tent, police officers clad in blue and the scene of a truly shocking crime. |
Alice Duggan, 80, said: "I don't like it. There's not a nice feeling here this morning. Everybody is very subdued." | Alice Duggan, 80, said: "I don't like it. There's not a nice feeling here this morning. Everybody is very subdued." |
The major roads through the area were cordoned off, leaving the local populace to find their way through the labyrinthine housing estates surrounding the site of the attack. | The major roads through the area were cordoned off, leaving the local populace to find their way through the labyrinthine housing estates surrounding the site of the attack. |
There they rubbed shoulders with dozens of lost reporters trying to navigate their way closer to the crime scene by the position of the helicopter overhead. | There they rubbed shoulders with dozens of lost reporters trying to navigate their way closer to the crime scene by the position of the helicopter overhead. |
'Strange atmosphere' | 'Strange atmosphere' |
Mark Bride, 35, unemployed, said: "Normally they [the media] forget Woolwich even exists. | Mark Bride, 35, unemployed, said: "Normally they [the media] forget Woolwich even exists. |
"No-one usually gives a monkey's when people get shot or stabbed up around here - but today you can see feelings are running high. | |
"There is a very strange atmosphere. You could cut the tension with a knife." | |
More than a dozen bunches of flowers had already been left outside the Royal Artillery Barracks by midday, many put there by soldiers and their families. | More than a dozen bunches of flowers had already been left outside the Royal Artillery Barracks by midday, many put there by soldiers and their families. |
One message read: "No1 can put into words how tragic this is. So sad. Brave soldier, you will forever be in my heart." | One message read: "No1 can put into words how tragic this is. So sad. Brave soldier, you will forever be in my heart." |
Another said: "To a hero taken from us too soon. Martin, Faye and Hope, fellow soldier + family." | Another said: "To a hero taken from us too soon. Martin, Faye and Hope, fellow soldier + family." |
'So sad' | |
There is no doubt the local community has a strong affinity for the military - and anger at the death is felt especially acutely because the victim was a soldier. | There is no doubt the local community has a strong affinity for the military - and anger at the death is felt especially acutely because the victim was a soldier. |
The word "hero" is voiced again and again. | The word "hero" is voiced again and again. |
As the BBC watched, young mother Katie Aouinti added a bouquet to the pile. | As the BBC watched, young mother Katie Aouinti added a bouquet to the pile. |
She said: " I didn't know him, but it's so sad. I wasn't able to sleep last night. Everybody loves the soldiers around here. | She said: " I didn't know him, but it's so sad. I wasn't able to sleep last night. Everybody loves the soldiers around here. |
"Every time they go past my kids say 'look it's the Army' - they love them." | |
This is far from the first violent death to occur in south-east London. But it is hard to imagine another set of circumstances that would provoke this sort of response. | This is far from the first violent death to occur in south-east London. But it is hard to imagine another set of circumstances that would provoke this sort of response. |
On the platform of Woolwich Dockyard Station complete strangers fall into discussion about the killing. | On the platform of Woolwich Dockyard Station complete strangers fall into discussion about the killing. |
A man is seen raising a St George's flag in the garden of his new-build, terraced home. | A man is seen raising a St George's flag in the garden of his new-build, terraced home. |
'End of the world' | |
Perfectly made-up television presenters of differing nationalities stand in a line, performing. | |
Police officers raise blue and white tape to allow a stream of young mothers with pushchairs underneath. | Police officers raise blue and white tape to allow a stream of young mothers with pushchairs underneath. |
The only place with any warmth on this morning, or so it seemed, was the Olympic Cafe - a stone's throw from the barracks - where saucer-eyed locals interrogated members of the world's media before reading about what was going on the front page of The Sun. | The only place with any warmth on this morning, or so it seemed, was the Olympic Cafe - a stone's throw from the barracks - where saucer-eyed locals interrogated members of the world's media before reading about what was going on the front page of The Sun. |
"It's craziness," one diner said to his companion. "Total craziness." | "It's craziness," one diner said to his companion. "Total craziness." |
The cafe cleared instantaneously as rumours spread of Boris Johnson's imminent arrival in the area. | The cafe cleared instantaneously as rumours spread of Boris Johnson's imminent arrival in the area. |
Outside - still cold, scarcely believable that it was May - the grim work of collecting forensic evidence and painstakingly documenting an atrocity was continuing. | Outside - still cold, scarcely believable that it was May - the grim work of collecting forensic evidence and painstakingly documenting an atrocity was continuing. |
Dennis Baker, 40, a driver who lives in the neighbourhood, said: "It feels like the end of the world." | Dennis Baker, 40, a driver who lives in the neighbourhood, said: "It feels like the end of the world." |
Why has this crime caused such outrage? | Why has this crime caused such outrage? |
Perhaps one of the messages left outside the barracks says it best. | Perhaps one of the messages left outside the barracks says it best. |
"Dear the poor soldier that lost your life, you didn't deserve what happened to you," it read. | "Dear the poor soldier that lost your life, you didn't deserve what happened to you," it read. |
"You fight for us and then this happens. My son is saluting as I write this. | "You fight for us and then this happens. My son is saluting as I write this. |
"He looks up to people like you." | "He looks up to people like you." |