London Assembly calls for Munich games victims to be remembered

The London Assembly today unanimously called on Boris Johnson to ensure victims of the 1972 Munich Olympic terrorist attacks are remembered during the London Games.
 
Assembly Members have agreed a motion supporting a minute silence in the Olympic Park during either the opening or closing ceremonies.

This year marks the 40th anniversary and 10th Games since eleven members of the Israeli team were killed by Palestinian terrorists.   
 
Andrew Dismore AM, who proposed the motion, said: “It is 40 years since this terrible attack took place and there has not once been a memorial service or event officially part of the scheduled events at Olympic Games.  This is simply not good enough. 
 
“The IOC say to have a minutes silence to commemorate these victims of terrorism would be a political gesture but surely not having a minutes silence is, in itself, the political gesture.  This is not about the nationality of the victims they were Olympians.”

Roger Evans AM, who seconded the motion, said: “The 2012 Games should include an opportunity to remember the victims of the attacks in Munich.

“The IOC needs to show some political courage and allow the commemoration of a tragedy that affected their guests during their event in their venue forty years ago. This important decision should not be dictated by a small number of their members.”
 
The full text of the motion reads:
 
“This Assembly notes the widespread, cross-party, support for one minute’s silence during the London Olympic Games to mark the 10th Olympiad since and 40th anniversary of the terrorist massacre of Israeli competitors and their coaches during the 1972 Munich Olympics.
 
“This Assembly urges the Mayor of London to use his position and influence to ensure an official minute’s silence remembrance is observed in the Olympic Park during the Opening or Closing Ceremonies of the London Olympic Games.”