British Prime Minister Theresa May addressed the London terror attacks on Sunday morning, taking a tougher tone in light of the third incident to strike the UK in three months. May called the attacks part of a “new trend” Europe and the United States have seen, adding that “terrorism breeds terrorism” according to the New York Times:
Terrorists are “copying one another and often using the crudest means of attack,” she said, noting that the police had disturbed five credible plots since the Manchester attack. “There is, to be frank, far too much tolerance of extremism in our country,” she said.
“We cannot, and must not, pretend that things can continue as they are,” the prime minister said, adding, “It is time to say ‘enough is enough.’ When it comes to tackling extremism and terrorism, things need to change.”
The shocking attack on London Bridge comes only two weeks after a suicide bomber killed 22 in Manchester and two months after a similar van and knife attack in Westminster that killed 5.
May’s address followed Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick’s update on the situation, raising the death toll to seven and confirming that they believed all three suspects had been killed by police. It was also a moment to highlight the response time to the situation, with both Dick and May noting that the police neutralized the terrorist threat within 8 minutes of receiving the first call.
Eyewitnesses at the scene described the frightening series of events on the bridge and then in the nearby Borough Market area:
Holly Jones, a BBC reporter who was on the bridge when the van crashed, said it was driven by a man and was “probably traveling at about 50 miles an hour.” She said that at least five people were being treated for injuries after the vehicle drove on the sidewalk and hit them.
“He swerved right round me and then hit about five or six people,” Ms. Jones said. “He hit about two people in front of me and then three behind.”
A witness, who identified himself as Andrew, said he was in the area at a bar, heard “a massive bang” and saw a van hitting the rail of the road.
“Next 10 seconds later, there was a guy with a big knife, I mean, a big knife,” he told LBC Radio.
Police reported that the assailants looked to be wearing explosive belts, but they were later determined to be fake.
Labour party leader Jeremy Corbin told reporters he was “shocked and horrified” by the attacks and joined May in suspending their respective campaigning on Sunday. The Prime Minister noted that Thursday’s vote will still happen as planned and campaigning will resume on Monday. Corbin joins other world leaders, including German leader Angela Merkel and President Donald Trump in condemning the attacks.
Merkel joined French President Emmanuel Macron in calling for unity between the UK and Europe, saying the nations are “united beyond all borders in horror and sorrow, but also in determination.” Trump tweeted several times about the attack, offering support to PM May and also using it to mention the need for his proposed travel ban. The president also contacted May personally to offer his support and continued tweeting on Sunday morning:
We must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people. If we don't get smart it will only get worse
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2017
Despite the attack, a benefit concert for victims of the Manchester attack is still planned to go on. No one has officially claimed responsibility for the attack, but similarities in attacks and posts on the Telegram messaging service seem to indicate an ISIS connection according to the New York Times.
(Via New York Times)