Remembrance on the streets of Soho, the procession to St Anne’s

HUNDREDS of people turned out to pay their respects to Andrea Dykes, John Light, Nick Moore and those injured in the pub bombing in Old Compton Street, Soho.

Tuesday was the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Admiral Duncan pub.

The Pink Singers sang for the crowd that organisers said was the largest event to date.

The family of Nick Moore, right, in rainbow and pink tops at St Anne’s Church

Family members of the victims who were killed then marched to St Anne’s Churchyard in Wardour Gardens where the church’s rector Revd Simon Buckley conducted a remembrance service.

The London Gay Men’s Chorus outside the Admiral Duncan pub

There were more songs from the Pink Singers, Diversity Choir and the London Gay Men’s Chorus.

The Soho Act of Remembrance annual event is organised by the 17-24-30 group as part of the national Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Council leader Adam Hug with Labour parliamentary candidate Rachel Blake and city councillor Patrick Lilley, right

In April 1999 black, Asian and gay people of Brixton, Brick Lane and Soho were targeted by a series of nail bomb attacks over 14 days.

When the attacks took place, the London Fire Brigade’s current deputy assistant commissioner Mark Davidson was a trainee firefighter stationed at Knightsbridge.

Tributes: including left, LAS motorcycle responder Steve Johns, who was early on scene after the 1999 attack, police DAC Laurence Taylor, Lord Mayor Patricia McAllister, Soho police team members, and, right, 17-24-30 founder and organiser Mark Healey

He recalled: “When we arrived, the Admiral Duncan pub had no façade, it was just an open hole and there were people in the street requiring medical attention. Time went really quickly for me. I had the experience of working alone for quite a long period of time and then I was assisting a doctor.

“We had set up a triage centre on Dean Street.

“I just went from one job to the next and tried to keep moving forwards. I felt a real strength in the watch.

Revd Simon Buckley at the church

“When we came back for our second night shift the following day, we were able to talk about what had happened, and it was really supportive.”

At the remembrance day was Westminster city councillor Patrick Lilley, 64, who was at the time running a nightclub in Brixton and living around Brick Lane.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service last month how he had broken down in tears on hearing the news on the radio, and said: “Like so many people who have been bullied in their lives, you have a pretty sensitive heart for these sorts of incidents.

“So many LGBTQ+ people have experienced that.”