Floral tributes laid in Ross for soldier Lee Rigby

A FLORAL revolution to show respect to soldier Lee Rigby who was killed in a Woolwich street last week has spread to Ross-shire where people have started placing bouquets at war memorials.

The “Protest of Flowers” campaign for Drummer Rigby began on Facebook shortly after his death and has gained momentum with floral tributes and notes being left at war memorials in towns throughout Britain.

On Wednesday of this week two notes and a small collection of flowers appeared at the memorial on Dingwall’s High Street, in front of the National Hotel.

A note, signed by local woman Joyce Munro of Balnabeen and Chris Small from Germany, urged people to unite in a protest of flowers as a mark of respect to Drummer Rigby and a sign of solidarity against terrorism by extremists.

Joyce told the Journal yesterday: “We are trying to get a sea of flowers across Britain for Lee Rigby.

“Alness is starting and hopefully Invergordon and Tain. This is day one — will the tributes grow? We are saying ‘no’ to terrorism.”

Pictures of flowers laid at war memorials in towns scattered throughout the country have been posted on the Facebook page “Protest of Flowers for

drummer Lee Rigby and against terrorism”.

The page was set up by Laurna McKie, who wrote: “I would like everyone to start placing flowers at your local war memorials. Every city, town and village has one; place flowers, cards, placards, poems, all saying no to terrorism and letting Lee’s family know just how much we care. When his two-year-old son Jack is older, instead of news reports on his father’s death, he can be shown the outpouring of floral tributes to this father and learn how his death began a floral revolution.”

A man has been charged with the murder of Drummer Rigby in south-east London on May 22.

Michael Adebowale (22) of Greenwich, London, was expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday. A second man, Michael Adebolajo (28) remains under arrest at a London hospital and is in a stable condition.

Drummer Rigby (25) died of multiple wounds. A minute’s silence was held in Woolwich at 2.40pm on Wednesday, exactly a week after his death.