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Thousands of Mancunians gathered in the centre of the northern English city in a show of defiance against a suicide bomber who killed 22 people, including children, in an attack at a crowded pop concert.
Local politicians and community leaders lined up to condemn the attack and emphasise the city's unity, but some of the biggest cheers and applause were reserved for local poet Tony Walsh, who read a poem from the steps of the Town Hall.
"There's hard times again in these streets of our city, but we won't take defeat and we don't want your pity, because this is the place where we stand strong together with a smile on our face, Mancunians forever," Walsh said.
"And they've covered the cobbles but they'll never defeat all the dreamers and schemers who teem through these streets
"Because this is a place that has been through some hard times, oppressions, recessions, depressions and dark times.
"But we keep fighting back with Greater Manchester spirit, northern grit, northern wit, and Greater Manchester lyrics.
"And there's hard times again, and there's hard times again, there's hard times again, in these streets of our city.
"But we won't take defeat, and we don't want your pity because this is the place where we stand strong together, with a smile on our face, Mancunians forever.
"Because this is the place in our hearts, in our homes, because this is the place that's a part of our bones.
"Because Manchester gives us such strength from the fact, that this is the place — we should give something back.
"Always remember, never forget. Forever Manchester. Choose love Manchester, thank you."
The vigil, held in warm evening sunshine in front of the Town Hall, drew representatives of different religions who, one by one, condemned the bombing, which ripped through a crowd leaving a show by US singer Ariana Grande.
Members of the city's Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Sikh communities said they wanted to show that Manchester, while shocked, would not be cowed.
"It was incredibly emotional… for us especially as Muslim citizens," said Muhammad Khursheed, an imam of a mosque in the Manchester suburb of Hulme.
"We will stand together in spite of oppression, terrorism. A strong, powerful message today."
British police on Tuesday identified the suicide bomber as 22-year-old Salman Abedi but gave no further details US security officials, citing British intelligence officials, said Abedi was born in Manchester to Libyan parents.
After speeches by officials, people attending the vigil gathered in small groups to talk among themselves. Some students took turns to hug a woman dressed in a burka.
"Together. Unified," Daniel Liptrott, a 45-year-old businessman said when asked how the vigil made him feel.
"A single act of terrorism isn't going to break that."
After a moment of silence, when many wept, the crowd broke into repeated chants of "Manchester, Manchester."
A placard read: "Hate will never tear us apart", alluding to the song Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division, one of Manchester's best known music groups.
Fans of the city's rival soccer teams Manchester United and Manchester City stood together at the protest.
ABC/Reuters
Topics: terrorism, law-crime-and-justice, crime, united-kingdom
First posted