IT WAS the biggest peacetime bomb carried out by the IRA. 212 people were injured on a gorgeous, bright summer’s day that turned into a day of horror. Thankfully, no-one was killed by the bomb which destroyed Manchester on Saturday June 15th 1996. Fifteen years on today, the city will remember the awful events, but can also lookback at the pride and regeneration carried out since the blast, which has turned Manchester into one of the leading cities in the world.
Whilst today, it is international terrorism that dominates the worldwide scale, it was more of a domestic issue in the mid-90s. The IRA had struck before in this country, most notably in Warrington in 1993, which killed two young boys. In 1994, a ceasefire had been agreed by the leaders of the IRA (Irish Republic Army) and the then Prime Minister John Major. This ceasefire was destroyed by the Canary Wharf bombing in February 1996, which also killed two people. In the coming weeks, bomb alerts and explosions were becoming the norm again. The city of Manchester was about to experience one of its blackest days in its history.
It was a busy Saturday morning, at the height of a summer heatwave for the country. Euro 96 was also taking place, with the big England v Scotland game at Wembley Stadium due to take place later that same afternoon. Manchester was also involved in the tournament, with Russia playing Germany in a Group C encounter at Old Trafford only 24 hours later. At 9.20am, a cargo truck parked on double yellow lines pulled up outside Corporation Street, directly infront of a Marks & Spencer store, close to the Arndale Shopping Centre. CCTV videos showed two hooded men leaving the vehicle shortly afterwards. 23 minutes later, Granada Television received a phone call from a man, with an Irish accent who claimed that the parked cargo had a bomb in it, which would explode in a hour. To ensure this was a serious threat, the man also gave out a codeword. Greater Manchester police now had a job to do.
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| DESTRUCTION: Was caused, but thankfully, no fatalities |
That job was to evacuate shoppers and workers nearby the vicinity. Police who had been drafted in for the following day’s Euro 96 encounter were also on the scene to help with the evacuation. It is believed that between 70,000-80,000 people were in the area at the time. A bomb squad arrived from Merseyside in an effort to defuse the bomb, but they ran out of time. At 11.17am on Saturday June 15 1996, the bomb exploded, destroying Marks & Spencer, some neighbouring office blocks and 33% of the Manchester retail space. Glass and debris flew everywhere, which is how most of the injuries occurred. Around £700million of damage was caused, with the target simply the economic and infrastructure of the city. It is still quite remarkable and frankly, a miracle that no-one was killed by the attack.
Greater Manchester Police immediately suspected IRA involvement. John Major called it “an act by a handful of fanatics who will be regarded with contempt and disgust around the world.” US president Bill Clinton said he was “deeply outraged by the explosion.” Five days afterwards, the IRA claimed responsibility, although they did apologise for causing injuries to civilians. Luckily, the Good Friday agreement of April 1998 means that although there is still the odd sporadic attack, it is nowhere near as frequent and dangerous as it used to be.
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| PLAQUE: To remember the blast |
Victims of the bombing received a total of £1.1million in compensation. Redevelopment work began shortly afterwards, although many buildings were closed for months and some were beyond repair. The redevelopment of the area was completed around nine years later. Manchester has risen from a dark day, to become a bustling, friendly and modern city within the UK and the world. It hosted the 2002 Commonwealth Games with great success, made history by hosting the first ever televised election debate during last year’s General Election and with two successful football clubs in Manchester United and Manchester City, gets stronger with each passing week. Fifteen years on, and people will remember today and will never forget the events, which fortunately, didn’t have any fatal consequences.
