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May 23, 2017 Morrissey By Christopher Roberts

Morrissey grew up in Manchester, England, where his iconic band The Smiths was formed in 1982. Morrissey was in his hometown last night, celebrating his birthday, when he got word of last night’s terrorist attack at Manchester Arena at the end of an Ariana Grande concert that killed 22 people. He has issued a statement on Facebook about the response to the attack by British politicians and leaders, including Prime Minister Theresa May and the Queen.

“Celebrating my birthday in Manchester as news of the Manchester Arena bomb broke. The anger is monumental. For what reason will this ever stop?” begins Morrissey’s statement.

On the Prime Minister, Morrissey offers: “Theresa May says such attacks ‘will not break us,’ but her own life is lived in a bullet-proof bubble, and she evidently does not need to identify any young people today in Manchester morgues. Also, ‘will not break us’ means that the tragedy will not break her, or her policies on immigration. The young people of Manchester are already broken - thanks all the same, Theresa.”

He then turns his attention to the monarchy: “The Queen receives absurd praise for her ‘strong words’ against the attack, yet she does not cancel today’s garden party at Buckingham Palace - for which no criticism is allowed in the Britain of free press.”

His statement concludes: “In modern Britain everyone seems petrified to officially say what we all say in private. Politicians tell us they are unafraid, but they are never the victims. How easy to be unafraid when one is protected from the line of fire. The people have no such protections.”

The full statement is below.

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