Rock group Queen said it will invite thousands of emergency services workers to an open-air concert in Hyde Park that was postponed by a week because of the London terrorist attacks.
Queen’s Paul Rodgers said the group wants Friday’s concert to be a tribute to the “extraordinary response” of the police officers, firefighters and paramedics who helped the victims of last Thursday’s subway and bus bombings.
“We feel it is fitting to thank London’s emergency services for their extraordinary response in dealing with the effects of the bombing attacks and to celebrate the historical resilience of Londoners in their response to yet another atrocity,” Rodgers said in a statement.
Guitarist Brian May said the band was “unbelievably shocked and saddened” to see London under siege after it returned Thursday morning from a concert in Germany.
“The heroes that day, and since then, are the police and emergency services coming together as one, calmly and bravely dealing with the tragedy and getting London’s wheels turning again,” he said. “We’d like to offer an appreciation.”
About 85,000 people are expected to attend Friday’s concert, the first Queen has played in Hyde Park in 29 years.