Eyewitnesses spoke of an enormous explosion and dozens of people being hit by flying glass. Amid chaotic scenes the injured were treated by the roadside as others fled the area. The Old Compton Street area was packed with people when the device exploded at the start of a bank holiday weekend. The Admiral Duncan, where the bomb exploded having been placed next to the bar on the ground floor, was among those visited by officers.ĭeputy Assistant Commissioner Alan Fry, head of the force's anti-terrorist branch, said that when officers arrived at the scene they were confronted by a scene of horror. 'They may be aimed at vulnerable individuals and communities, but these are hate attacks that affect all of us.' The Commissioner said that in recent days, anticipating a possible explosion in the strongly gay area of Soho, crime prevention officers had visited a number of pubs and bars to offer advice on security. 'These are cowardly hate attacks,' he said. Confirming that police were linking last night's explosion to the incidents in Brixton and Brick Lane, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner said they were incidents that affected the whole community.