Attacks in London 22 March 2017
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Wednesday, March 22, 2017, 15:51 by Reuters, PA, staff reporters
Terror at Westminster as assailant mows down pedestrians and stabs policeman before being shot
Police treating incident as terror-related as doctors report 'catastrophic' injuries
Comments
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Its all over the tv it happened at about 1440,it had to happen again,so many have been foiled, our county police are asking us to install cctv, as it helps in ID if anything suspiciose,is noted, neighbours have had it for several years,and it has been "helpfull " twice so far
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Thoughts and prayers for the dead and injured together with their families and those who protect us.
Sadly the determined will always try to create chaos, you can't defend if the attacker is prepared to die for their cause. Let's hope that all the cctv and public videos help to piece events together and it helps ongoing planning.
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A word on Tobias Ellwood an MP and Junior cabinet minister who -when all others were running [as requested] away from the danger -ran towards the incident. He applied CPR and applied pressure to multiple stab wounds of a police officer. He remained there until the medics arrived.
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We had a strange message from our eldest son, who lives and works in London, saying that he was nowhere near Westminster. We thought this was a bit cryptic until we switched on the TV!!!!
David
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How thoughtful of him David! I remember being worried about my son in the London bombings of July whenever it was. I had the tv on while doing paperwork yesterday when they interrupted the programme to report - thankfully nothing like the previous time when I watched 9/11 unfold. But still dreadful and so tragic for those involved thoughts and prayers.
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Am I alone in thinking that reporting "4 killed" seems wrong?
One of them was the perpetrator and should not be included in the same sentence, as his death was totally appropriate and therefore not the same at all.
My heart goes out to all those who have been affected by this cowardly atrocity.
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I totally agree with IanH, the terrorist should not be included with the others. RIP to those who've died and god speed for a full recovery for the others. No matter what this country has been through, we've never, ever succumbed to threats. I'm so proud to be British
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Totally agree with the sentiments so far!
As an Ex cop myself I am very proud of the way the Mets responded to this terrible act, but I feel that I should point out two things.
How many of you realise that as a result of huge funding cuts there are 22,00- less Police Officers on our streets than there were just a few years ago? Outside of the London area many forces are struggling today to respond to unplanned incidents. Community policing has all but ended, yet the beat PC has always been the one that picked up the info leading to the discovery of the terrorist lair.
It is becoming harder for forces to man up the firearms units because of the dreadful way that the authorities treat any officer who uses his gun. They are treated as potential criminals, suspended or isolated sometimes for months until cleared of any wrongdoing. Would you volunteer for that? I carried firearms for many years but was always more worried about using them than doing the job properly!
TF
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Your first point has not been lost in debate these past days. In fact it has just been discussed this very minute on the BBC. The weapons issue just been called a 'witch hunt' of the copper discharging their weapon in the line of duty. Those casting aspersions the CPS, IPCC, media should walk a mile in the coppers shoes in the split second they take the decision to fire; not the 18-24 months it takes to ostracise and threaten the officer with prison, job loss, pension loss.
In respect of your second, no different to how squaddies are treated for actions on the battlefield. Recent events (the dodgy claims guy and Marine A) show that it takes time and concerted effort to out the wrong/do gooders.
Some good will come out of this and your 2 points should be top of the list. Joe public has the power to lobby their MP, constantly, to ensure our safety. Unfortunately apathy prevails, which is what the elected and authorities rely on.
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Andrew Neil has been widely praised for delivering an exceptionally strong monologue at the beginning of the This Week show.
The BBC journalist delivered a searing message to terrorists looking to frighten the British people in the wake of the Westminster attack.
He first paid tribute to PC Keith Palmer, killed in the attack on Westminster, saying: “Keith Palmer had been a copper for 15 years, a husband, a dad, brother, uncle, public servant. Before joining the police, he’d been in the army, defending our nation.
“Yesterday he was murdered defending our democracy, defending the very heart of our democracy from a barbarian at the gate.
“Just doing his duty, reminding us of something we badly needed reminding, that this most important people in this country are not the rich, the powerful, the famous but those who run to confront the enemies of our civilisation while the rest of us are running away. First responders like PC Palmer.
BBC
Andrew Neil delivered a strong message to those trying to frighten the British people
“Brutally stabbed to death by a jumped-up jihadi, not fit to breathe the same air as the man he killed.
“Now I know there are still some ‘Jihadi Johnnies’ out there who think they will eventually triumph because their love of death is greater than our love of life.”
Neil then turned his attention to the terrorists themselves.
He said: “Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with? This is the country that stood up alone to the might of the Luftwaffe, air force of the greatest evil mankind has ever known.
“If you think we’re going to be cowed by some pathetic, Poundland terrorist in an estate car with a knife, then you’re as delusional as you are malevolent.
“Yes, you have the power to hurt us. Sometimes the hurt is more than we can bear - but you cannot defeat us.
“Because for every brainwashed, brain dead Islamist you send to do us harm, we have thousands upon thousands of Keith Palmers. You find them in every walk of life and in every part of the land, they come in all shapes, all sizes, all colours, all faiths. They are the British people and against them you will never prevail.”6 -
Thank you for that, Easy T
If I may add a point, I have heard, but only once, that the Armed Officer who put down the terrorist was not a Uniformed Officer but a Plain Clothed Member of the Protection group allocated to a member of the Ministry of Defence. Out there doing the job with no obvious personal body armour.
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Whoever the officer was who brought this outrage to an end deserves and earns our deepest gratitude. His training helped save lives even though the instigator has now clocked up 4 murders, it could have been worse. This scum who wish to destroy our way of life by terror are basically cowards. We all need to lobby Parliament and to stand shoulder to shoulder as, I'm afraid to say, we are at war with this menace. Good post Brian. 100% with you mate.
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I have a bit of a problem with people calling this nobody a Terrorist, sort of legitimising his existence. As far as I'm concerned he was a murderous thug who was crap at living and obviously wanted to end up being martyred in death as he was useless at everything else.
I too find Andrew Neil excellent, try to watch the Daily Politics show when I can.
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