We’re being ignored, say survivors of Arena attack

THE survivors of the Manchester Arena terror attack feel they’ve been ‘forgotten and ignored’ by a forthcoming public inquiry, a court heard.

Lawyers for more than 50 people are bidding to overturn a decision not to grant them core participant status at the inquiry – due to start in Manchester on September 7.

Inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders explained his April ruling ‘does not mean that the survivors will not have a voice in this inquiry’ as he said their evidence would be ‘important’ and he would aim to ensure any questions are answered. But, in an application for a judicial review of the decision, Brenda Campbell QC, on behalf of the group of survivors, told the High Court: “The survivors have not been important or treated with importance at any point until they put their hand up and asked for core participant status.

“In fact they have not even been contacted, their accounts have not been taken, they have not been interviewed and, we infer from that, in addition experts have been briefed with limited reference to the survivors’ experiences.

“For example, in relation to the emergency medical response that for a great number of those who unfortunately died, and perhaps mercifully, survivability was not an issue, but these survivors – these claimants – were there. They experienced, they saw, they felt, they heard and they have not been contacted. With the greatest respect, telling someone that they are important witnesses does not make it so in practice. The reality is that they are treated at the very best as very important spectators.”

The mother of a teenager, who was 14 at the time of the blast and was not expected to survive her injuries, said in a witness statement they believed they had been ‘forgotten and ignored’, the court heard.