UK terror attack brings London to its knees
London has been left reeling after a terrorist attack outside Westminster, in which a car ran over several pedestrians and a police officer was stabbed outside parliament.
Four people have been confirmed as casualties, including the stabbed police officer and the attacker, and at least 20 other people are still being treated for injuries.
While specific details on the incident remain hazy, reports can confirm that a large vehicle ran down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, before crashing into the railings surround the parliament. The suspected driver left the vehicle then walked into the parliamentary precinct where he attacked the officer before he was eventually shot.
London's assistant police commissioner Mark Rowley said, "This is a day we planned for but hoped would never happen. Sadly it's now a reality. We will continue to do all we can to protect the people of London."
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop confirmed no Australians were caught up in the attack in a statement from Washington, “I extend the Australian's Government's deepest sympathies over the incident. I understand the British police are treating it as a terrorist incident until other information comes to hand. I can assure Australians that to this point no Australians have been identified.”
Amongst the terror, moments of bravery and humanity have shone through.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, released a stoic statement on Twitter with the message Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism:
Writing for The Guardian, Jonathan Freedland shared the story of a brave MP who had tried to save the officer who was stabbed, “On any other day, Tobias Ellwood might be seen as just another Tory MP. But then came word that he had given CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a policeman who lay wounded – and with it a reminder that the MP, a former army officer, had lost a brother in the Bali bombings of 2002.”
The attack comes on the one year anniversary of last year’s terror attack in Brussels, where suicide bombers killed more than 30 people at an airport and metro station.
Our deepest sympathies go to those affected.
Video credit: Facebook/Aaron Tsang via Storyful
Hero image Credit: Twitter/James West via Storyful