Melbourne car attack: Bourke Street victims remembered at vigil in Federation Square

By Margaret Burin and staff

“If you feel like shaking your head and feeling sad for the state of humanity, I implore you: Don’t.”

This was the message from Henry Dow, one of the first people to help the injured after the Bourke Street attack, to thousands of mourners gathered in Federation Square earlier today.

Mr Dow shared a story of a heroic taxi driver named Lou. When the car flew down the busy street, Mr Dow and Lou ran to help an injured woman.

“Holding her head, my hand was, for want of a better word, shaking,” he said.

“It was more like bouncing, moving several inches up and down as the fear and thoughts of what had happened, what could happen, raced through my head.”

Mr Dow said Lou took control of the situation, barking orders at other pedestrians standing by while keeping the injured woman calm. He assumed Lou was an emergency services worker, and was surprised to discover he was a taxi driver.

“In our small story, of this much bigger tragedy, Lou took command and was a genuine hero,” Mr Dow told the crowd at the vigil.

The vigil mourned victims of the Bourke Street attack. Five people — including a 10-year-old girl and a three-month-old baby— were killed after a car ploughed through pedestrians. More than 35 others were injured.

Federation Square, which normally plays host to cultural events and shows, was packed with thousands of people from around Melbourne.

“We just wanted to show our support to the family and friends who were affected by the tragedy,” said one mourner, Hayley Campbell.

“We wanted to show our love, and show that the people of Melbourne are supporting everyone who’s been affected.”

Natalie Collard was at Bourke Street just the day before the attack. Her and her brother Ben were at the vigil to pay homage to the victims.

“I feel devastated for these people,” she said.

“To think that it’s such a happy place and it feels desecrated and just the pain that little children and our vulnerable people being at risk really hurts.

“It’s against what Melbourne stands for.”

Rabbi Yehoshua Smukler, the principal of the Jewish school Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah Colleges, spoke at an earlier vigil held on Sunday night for the 10-year-old who died, Thalia Hakin, and her family.

“It”s been quite extraordinary to see how both the school community and the broader Australian community have come together,” he told the ABC.

He said people of all faiths had rallied together to offer support, following the “heartbreaking” loss of one of their students, Thalia, who he described as a “happy and bubbly” girl.

“The outpouring of offers of support, counselling from other schools, irrespective of religion or denomination, scout clubs, has been really encouraging,” he said.

“It’s just amazing that everybody’s coming together and I hope that everyone appreciates that.

“I hope that they realise that it shouldn’t be times of tragedy that bring us together.”

Mr Smukler said it was important for people to reassure themselves and their children that Australia is one of the world’s safest countries.

“We live in one of the most liveable cities in the world,” he said.

“This is not normal. We can walk our streets freely.

“We’ve got a lot to celebrate … and we should celebrate the fact that generally we live in a very safe and secure city, and how lucky we are.”

Another mourner at the vigil, Josh Bull, said the tragedy was a time for people to stick together.

“I think it’s an opportunity for all Victorians to come together at a time where there’s great sadness in the community, an opportunity for people to pay their respects to those that we’ve lost and their families,” he said.

“And also to show solidarity and support for one another in a time where people are hurting and grieving.

“People need to stick together.”

While the effects of the attack will be felt for more time to come, there was an outpouring of love and community at the vigil.

“There was no evil on Bourke Street yesterday,” Mr Dow said.

“One sick young man did a terrible thing, and hundreds responded with the love and sense of community that makes Melbourne such a beautiful city, and Victoria such a great state.

“Many images and sounds will stay with me much longer than I might like, but I am glad to have seen, and hope I never forget, just how brave and loving strangers can be.”

This post originally appeared on ABC News.