Floral tribute to be a permanent memorial to Sydney siege victims
A "scattered starburst" of some 400 floral cubes will be inlaid in the granite pavings of Sydney's Martin Place to honour those who died in the Lindt Cafe siege.
NSW Premier Mike Baird said the siege last December had forever changed Sydney, whose residents mourned the deaths of Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson in the face of evil.
Seven News will speak exclusively with Tori Johnson's mother, Rosie Connelan, at 6pm on Sunday night.
Stylised flowers set inside mirrored boxes would be lit in the popular city thoroughfare day and night, designer Richard Johnson said. Photo: Victor.Au
Mr Baird said the kindness of thousands of people who left flowers and cards in the days after the siege was "something quite incredible".
"We saw this outpouring of compassion and mourning that came with those families and victims," Mr Baird told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.
Mr Baird said the kindness of thousands of people who left flowers and cards in the days after the siege was "something quite incredible". Photo: AAP
"It also said to those that want to bring hate, we're going to respond with love, we're going to respond with peace."
"And those that come and try and divide this city, this state, this country, well you won't, we're going to unite," he said.
Mr Johnson said he hoped the "quiet and reflective" tribute would encourage Sydneysiders to pause and take stock.
Stylised flowers set inside mirrored boxes would be lit in the popular city thoroughfare day and night, designer Richard Johnson said.
Mr Johnson said he hoped the "quiet and reflective" tribute would encourage Sydneysiders to pause and take stock.
"The impact will change as you change your view of each work," Mr Johnson said.
"The reflection of the sunlight or the night light shifts and the reflection of the stylised flower within the mirrored box will shift."
A woman looks at flowers at a makeshift memorial near the scene of a fatal siege in the heart of Sydney's financial district on December 17, 2014. Photo: Getty
Mr Baird invited the people of Sydney to attend a twilight ceremony on Tuesday marking the one-year anniversary of the siege.
"My hope is on that day we focus in on what brought us together rather than those forces that try to drive us apart," he said.
Police officers involved in the Lindt Café siege texted their loved ones farewell messages, fearing they would be killed when they stormed the café.
As the first anniversary of the siege nears, it’s been revealed police felt hostage taker Man Monis was armed with explosives and was prepared to detonate them if police tried to capture him.
Police officers feared they would be killed as they stormed the Lindt Cafe. Photo: 7 News
The Daily Telegraph reports at least one police officer was still unable to return to work as a result of the traumatic event in Martin Place.
Detective Sergeant Damian Loone was one of the first officers to arrive at the scene last December and said the city still gave him "the shivers".
"It's something that just stays with you and I'm not afraid to say that," he said.
Detective Loone said he spent most of the day near the cafe and watched the siege end on television when he got to his South Coast home, unable to sleep.
"The next morning I was back at work and had to take the toe tags to the scene for the body bags," he told the Daily Telegraph.
The next day, in a statement, he told of his involvement in the siege.
He has only worked about eight hours since then.
News break – December 13
