Defiant Londoners returning to work a day after a terror attack struck their city were greeted with heartwarming messages at their local Underground stations.
The service information signs, a familiar sight in London Tube stations, normally feature a quirky “quote” or “thought” of the day. But for commuters arriving at stations across the city on Thursday, the messages all had a similar theme: solidarity.
Londoners passing through Tower Hill station, a short walk down the River Thames from where the attack took place in Westminster, arrived to see the following quote: “The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of them all #LondonIsOpen #Westminster #WeAreNotAfraid.”
London Underground staff at stations from Tottenham Court Road, in the heart of the city, to Ealing Common, in the outer reaches of west London, shared words of support.
“All TfL (Transport for London) staff pull together in times like this to be vigilant and to reassure everyone,” Glen Sutherland, a 46-year-old customer service assistance at Oval Station, south of the Thames, told CNN.
Sutherland, who runs the Twitter account for Oval Station, shared a photograph of Thursday’s “thought of the day.”
“You have to be at your strongest when you’re feeling at your weakest. Our condolences, our city, our diversity, our strength,” the message read.
A photo of one London Tube sign, which went viral on social media in the wake of Wednesday’s attack, turned out to be fake. The sign was created by an internet Tube sign generator.
But that didn’t stop it being read out by a Member of Parliament, and shared by many more on social media.
The sign read: “All terrorists are politely reminded that THIS IS LONDON and whatever you do to us we will drink tea and jolly well carry on thank you.”
“I think that is a wonderful tribute,” Prime Minister Theresa May said of the sentiment after it was referenced by Tory MP Simon Hoare.