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From UCL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To UCL alumni

UCL - Getting back to normal

I am writing to all UCL alumni to thank you for the messages of concern that have been flooding in from around the world in response to yesterday's terrorist outrages in London. I am relieved to be able to reassure you that, although these events have inevitably caused distress amongst the UCL community, we have not suffered any direct damage - though we are aware of one member of staff who was seriously injured.

It has been an exceptionally difficult 24 hours for everyone at UCL, but we have managed to keep things running: the true spirit of UCL has prevailed, and I know that you will share my enormous pride in this quality that is so powerful amongst our community of staff and students.

Although it is quiet on the Bloomsbury campus today, things are already getting back to normal, and we expect to be fully operational again next Monday, 11 July.

Please be assured that we are in good shape. We have been fortunate not to have suffered any direct damage. We are not unaffected by this tragedy, but we are now restoring normality and getting on with our daily tasks. We look forward to moving from strength to strength, undented by these barbaric acts.

Thank you again for your thoughts, for your prayers, and for your support.


Malcolm Grant
President and Provost of UCL

Some news which didn't make the UK media (D-Notice?), although it was certainly flying round as a rumour on the day.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10334992

I don't know if is useful for anyone but I went to leave candles at each of the bomb sites this afternoon and discovered the following

Kings Cross: flowers/candles/tributes are being left in a cordoned-off area in front of WH Smith. there was a police officer and a member of the Salvation army looking after it and they were really sweet (asking if I was ok, if i knew any of the victims, offering me a lighter when mine broke).

the only problem was there is still a huge press prescence there. As soon as I walked into the area to leave my tribute, cameras started snapping, i couldn't look to the left or right because I knew there were big banks of press watching me do something really quite personal. When i wiped a tear from my eye, I could hear the cameras snapping faster. I don't really resent this - I know from reading my friend's list on here that people all across the world want to know what's going on, but if you're still quite upset by the whole event it may be quite a distressing experience.

Tavistock Square: the entire area is still completely roped off, and the police looking after the entrances innitially told me there was no where there I could leave tributes myself, but if I wanted they'd take my flowers over to the church (forgotten it's name - the big one on the corner of Euston road). However, after a bit of wandering round I discovered that people were leaving tributes in Russell Square Gardens (map here)

I'm not sure about Liverpool Street or Edgeware Road.

Also, according to the bbc there will be a 2-minute silence observed next thursday at midday, though plans to specify a place in London where people can gather have yet to be confirmed.

Police in Birmingham evacuated the city centre about an hour ago. Earlier they issued a warning they had received intelligence suggesting a terrorist threat to the area. The BBC are using the words 'critical' and 'specific' threat. (source: BBC Online, 10:00pm News on BBC1 and Reuters)

ETA: No vehicles were being allowed to be moved while helicopters had been hovering overhead since around 2000 BST. (BBC journalist Toby Brown)

ETA 2: Bomb squad officers have reportedly carried out a series of controlled explosions in the Broad Street entertainment district. (Sky News)

After reading the most recent post on the threat of an attack on birmingham,

does any one know if Medway (partically Maidstone) is at any threat of a terrorist attack?

I've been looking around, and after hearing that birmingham may be attacked, I wondered if any other areas may be.. I live in 2 places. London, I come from. I go to school in. Medway, I live in. idk. I'm sorry if this doesn't belong here, I'm just worried. kthx for anyhelp, it's very much appreciated.

Hope that you're all okay && you managed to gain contacts with all your friends & family.

<3d