7
Jul
7/7 Anniversary
Today, we honour the memory of 7 July 2005 for the 20th time.
On this solemn anniversary, we pause to remember the tragic events that unfolded in London, where four separate suicide bombers detonated explosives throughout the city. Three bombs exploded near underground stations at Edgware Road, Russell Square, and Aldgate, while another devastated a bus in Tavistock Square. Fifty-two innocent lives were lost, and over 770 individuals sustained injuries in these attacks. This series of bombings marked a dark chapter in history, as they were the first suicide attacks on European soil, leaving an indelible mark on the collective memory of society.
Iconic photographs often capture moments of national or global tragedy, such as the events of 7/7. One notable image features a young Adam Wishart helping an injured person whose face was severely burned in the explosion, covered with a white mask to alleviate the pain. Twenty years after the bombings, Wishart became the creator and author of "7/7: The London Bombings," a definitive account of the attacks and their aftermath that aired on BBC Two and iPlayer in January 2025.
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the tragic 7/7 bombings in London, the documentary series "Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers," directed by Liza Williams and produced by The Garden Productions, premiered on Netflix on 1 July 2025. Spanning four episodes, this comprehensive series investigates the initial attacks on the London transport system and examines the tumultuous month that followed, including the failed bombings on 21 July and the police shooting of the innocent Jean Charles de Menezes the next day, who was mistaken for one of the bombers.
The series features a combination of mobile phone images, news footage, occasional reconstructions, and photographs of injured individuals emerging from tube stations, alongside testimonies from survivors and the families of victims. This tragic event in British history is notable for being one of the first instances of widely used citizen journalism, capturing the details of the attack with remarkable precision. Throughout its four episodes, the documentary not only recounts the harrowing events of the attacks but also explores their broader implications for British society, including changes in security measures and the lasting impact on those affected.
