Terrorism - Flowers Poem by Paul Warren

On 15–16 December 2014, a lone gunman, Man Haron Monis, held hostage ten customers and eight employees of a Lindt chocolate café located at Martin Place in Sydney, Australia. Police treated the event as a terrorist attack, and negotiated with Monis throughout the day. After a 16-hour standoff, during which areas of the Sydney central business district surrounding the site were cordoned off and nearby buildings locked down, police officers from the Tactical Operations Unit stormed the café upon hearing gunshots from inside. At least one hostage was shot by Monis, who himself was shot dead after police entered in response. Hostages Katrina Dawson (solicitor & mother) and Tori Johnson Café manager) died, while three other hostages and a police officer were injured during the police raid. Ordinary people placed bouquets of flowers in Martin Place. The following weekend a Muslim bride came and placed her bridal bouquet with the other flowers.