Ariana Grande to become honorary citizen of Manchester
Grande 'brought comfort to thousands and raised millions' after deadly concert attack, says council leader
Manchester officials say they are making U.S. pop singer Ariana Grande an honorary citizen of the city because of her response to the deadly concert attack in May.
City council leader Richard Leese proposed the move, describing the 23-year-old singer as "a young American woman for whom it would have been understandable if she never wanted to see this place again."
Leader of <a href="https://twitter.com/ManCityCouncil">@ManCityCouncil</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SirRichardLeese">@SirRichardLeese</a> proposes a motion to create a new honorary citizenship with Ariana Grande the first recipient. <a href="https://t.co/hpk7bKIwWv">pic.twitter.com/hpk7bKIwWv</a>
—@BBCRadioMancHe said instead, Grande "brought comfort to thousands and raised millions" for an emergency fund when she returned to headline the One Love Manchester benefit concert, just 13 days after the attack.
A recording of the concert was released as a charity album, with proceeds going towards the U.K. Red Cross We Love Manchester Emergency Fund.
The singer also visited fans injured in the attack at a Manchester hospital.
Other council officials in the northwest English city voted Wednesday to back the proposal.
Bomber Salman Abedi killed 22 people on May 22 when he detonated a bomb at the Manchester Arena at the end of a concert by Grande.