The mother of a Manchester Arena bombing victim is to march from Manchester to London to demand urgent action on Martyn’s Law.
Figen Murray tragically lost her son, Martyn Hett, 29, when a terrorist detonated a suicide bomb after an Ariana Grande concert in 2017.
She has campaigned ever since for the introduction of Martyn’s Law. She hopes this would cause more securities and anti-terror provisions to be introduced at UK venues.
While the Home Office is reportedly keen to take action, Martyn’s Law was under consultation until last month. The Government is now reviewing its findings.
To raise awareness of the importance of enacting such a law, Ms Murray has vowed to walk more than 200 miles across the UK to demand action from Downing Street.
Ms Murray will depart from the place where Martyn died on May 7. She plans to arrive at Downing Street on May 22, the anniversary of his death.
"No parent should have to experience the pain and loss I’ve felt," Ms Murray said.
"I truly believe we have an opportunity to make public spaces safer and more secure by introducing Martyn’s Law."
She will be joined on the march by campaigners including Brendan Cox, the widower of MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in 2016.
"Martyn’s mum shouldn’t be having to walk from Manchester to London to put pressure on the Government to do something it has promised multiple times," Mr Cox said.
Here’s all you need to know about Martyn’s Law.
What is Martyn’s Law?
Ms Murray made it her mission to help bring about a change to the law after her son was killed.
He was among 22 people who were killed at the Ariana Grande concert, the most deadly terrorist attack in the UK since 2005.
The law has many points, but its main goal is to tighten security at UK venues and ensure staff are trained to respond to terrorism incidents.
The proposed law would require premises to meet certain requirements, depending on their size. These requirements would include procedures for evacuations and lockdowns in case of a terrorist attack, some degree of training, and heightened security measures.
While Ms Murray has admitted that it would not stop terrorism, she hopes Martyn’s Law could be a crucial deterrent in preventing such devastation from happening again.
“When you look at Bataclan [the terror attack in Paris in 2015], the terrorists walked in halfway through, with Manchester Arena it was at the end. So security needs to be right from the moment they arrive to the time everyone’s completely left,” she once told the Evening Standard.
“Martyn’s Law is about simplicity, and it should be stressed that the cost to venues is always proportionate.”
A foreword on the consultation for Martyn’s Law signed by Minister of State for Security Tom Tugendhat read: “Martyn’s Law will ensure premises in the UK are better prepared for, and protected from, a terrorist attack. The bill is one part of the Government’s wider counter-terrorism strategy.”
“We are aware through engagement with businesses that counter-terrorism security efforts often fall behind other activities already required by law, such as health and safety.”
