‘Concert bomber stole my son’s life – however venues do not even verify baggage’

The mother of a Manchester Arena bomb victim says her son will be smiling down on her as she takes on a 200-mile gruelling protest walk to Downing Street.

Mum-of-five Figen Murray was “rearing” to get started on the 16-day journey of a lifetime as she was touchingly joined by friends, family and supporters at the launch. Stood where her son, Martyn Hett, lived his final moments, Figen told the Mirror: “He would be touched I’m starting it here where he died. He would smile at his little mother doing this task and he would be proud.”

It’s a full circle moment for the mum, as the walk, which aims to raise awareness of Martyn’s Law, started just 4m from where Islamist terrorist Salman Abedi blew himself up at the Ariana Grande concert. For the past seven years, Figen, who has since obtained a master’s degree in counter-terrorism and received an OBE, has made it her mission to promote peace and positive change in her son’s memory.

Before losing him, she was ignorant of the lack of strict regulations for security measures at venues. As much as the protest walk is to be seen by Parliament, she says it’s also for public awareness.

“Nowadays, terrorism is so unpredictable, an attack can happen anywhere and in any place – the threat is growing bigger and bigger,” she continued. “Before he died, I didn’t give security a thought. I didn’t even think about it and to suddenly realise we are unsafe, it absolutely shocked me, which is why the legislation is so important. People need to know they’re not safe. They can call out bad security and raise the standards.”

Having trained every weekend since the end of January, Figen already has feet covered in blisters. The 63-year-old knows it will be a tough task as she battles the elements, covering between 12 to 15 miles across seven hours a day. But she says the pain will be worth it to get a response from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on her campaign to tighten security measures at public venues.

Addressing the public, she thanked her husband Stuart, 57, who she described as her ‘rock.’ “I have a little team around me that will absolutely carry me,” she said, before explaining that the march is also in honour of all those who have lost their lives to terrorism.

She proceeded to heartbreakingly read out the long list of 22 names, seeing the foyer filled with silence. Alongside Stuart, Figen is also joined by former Counter Terrorism Detective Nick Aldworth, and Brendan Cox, husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, as well as friends and family and a driver.

“We knew it would be hard work, we’ve had the blisters and I have pain every night but I’m OK with it as I know it’s just for a few weeks,” Figen told the Mirror. “What will keep us going is many people joining us along the way.

“We know we have so much support and it will be great to see different people each day. It will be a great distraction from walking, with all the conversations we won’t notice how many miles we are walking.”

One of Martyn’s friends, Lana Gough, 34, is taking part in the first leg to Stockport – Martyn’s old stomping ground – which she feels is a privilege to be a part of as they will sentimentally pass by his old flat, which holds many happy memories. She sees the trek as a positive force for change.

“We’ve got a lot of camaraderie, it has brought us together and it feels like a proactive thing to be doing,” she told the Mirror. “I would much rather show solidarity this way rather than sitting and having drinks. Exercise is a positive thing and hopefully, it generates attention.”

She heartbreakingly talked of the huge void in their lives without Martyn, seven years on. “He was the loudest out of the group so there is an audible gap, but he was the organiser, the fun guy, there if you needed him,” she says. “He filled a lot of roles.

“It’s been hard without him but the least we can do is show support for his mum. She has worked tirelessly in the background and we just want the Government to action what we were promised. It’s not asking for a lot, it’s common sense.”

Behind them every step of the way is Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who says the proposed law is above party politics. “The best legacy would be to have a law that changes the safety of venues right across this country. That is what should be done,” he said to the crowd.

He paid tribute to the Government for making a commitment to the law in the King’s Speech. However, he called on them to provide a date to introduce it and argued it must be done before Parliament dissolves for the General Election.

Calling Figen the most resilient person he knows, he thanked her for leading the change on behalf of Manchester and the rest of the country. “Every single person in this city is behind you,” he adds. “I know you will get there and we will have Martyn’s Law not before too long.

“We will get to a point where every single venue is safer and therefore everyone has peace of mind as a result.” As she took her first few steps outside the arena, Figen, dressed in all the gear, was met with cheers against a backdrop of bright clouds with sunshine peeping through.

As she strode across the city at pace, hand in hand with Stuart, the excitement in the air was palpable as the prospect of real change looked to be on the horizon. They circled the Glade of Light memorial at Manchester Cathedral, taking a moment of reflection, before waving themselves off, with Stuart jubilantly shouting, “See you in London!”

A Home Affairs Select Committee in July 2023 criticised a draft of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, known as Martyn’s Law, which it said would put small businesses and organisations at risk of closure and fail to “make a significant impact” on preventing attacks.

MPs found the draft Bill, which has different standards based on venue capacity, would require a local village hall to have certain safety precautions, while an outdoor market in a city centre would not. They said it was a “concern” that attacks which had occurred in some parts of the UK, such as in Scotland, would not fall into the draft Bill’s scope.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “As set out in the King’s Speech, we are committed to bringing in Martyn’s Law – legislation that will better protect the public from terror attacks, and we are grateful to Figen Murray for her tireless support of this issue. It is important that our new law stands the test of time and is a fitting tribute to those who have campaigned for it.

“That is why we have consulted on how we can protect the public without putting unnecessary burdens on smaller businesses. We are now in the final stages of drafting this legislation, and it will be brought in as soon as possible.”