UK Parliament attack: Post-Brexit Britain’s brush with terrorism is ominous
Scenes of carnage at London’s posh Westminster Bridge have put the world on high alert. In what the British police are considering an “act of terror”, several people were injured by an assailant at the site.
Incident in #Westminster: We are treating this as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 22, 2017
Westminster 'terrorist attack': Eyewitness account from Telegraph's Political Editor, @gordonrayner https://t.co/oiCGGVWrPq pic.twitter.com/aHmaYnxhRf
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 22, 2017
The man himself was shot outside the British parliament by armed police, according to the leader of the House of Commons, David Lidington, but it’s not clear if the assailant is dead or alive.
Loud bangs were heard and a Reuters photographer saw about 10-12 injured people on the iconic Westminster Bridge of central London. Leader of Britain's House of Commons said a police officer was stabbed outside Parliament.
We were called at approx 2:40pm to reports of an incident at #Westminster Bridge. Being treated as a firearms incident - police on scene
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 22, 2017
According to Reuters, “A parliamentary official earlier said two people had been shot outside parliament and the building was in lockdown. The House of Commons session was suspended and members of parliament who were in the chamber were told to remain there.”
People run out of UK parliament following major security incident in Westminster https://t.co/6WSgpTr8cz pic.twitter.com/eAt5cGmkJq
— CNN International (@cnni) March 22, 2017
British Prime Minister Theresa May has been moved to an undisclosed location for her safety. The House has been suspended in the light of the incident. Nearby Westminster underground train station was closed at the request of police.
First Responders arrived with body armor to start evacuating injured from #Westminster with the area still not secured pic.twitter.com/iE6FrV4dAt
— Abraxas Spa (@AbraxasSpa) March 22, 2017
Polish politician and journalist Radoslaw Sikorski posted a video on Twitter, showing several injured people.
A car on Westminster Bridge has just mowed down at least 5 people. pic.twitter.com/tdCR9I0NgJ
— Radosław Sikorski (@sikorskiradek) March 22, 2017
People are taking to social media to post pictures, videos of the aftermath of the attack and connect with friends and family.
Parliament on lockdown: Westminster attack as it develops https://t.co/jWPDIntUBD pic.twitter.com/QZ0eDpncy2
— Imam Iswanto™ (@Imam_Official) March 22, 2017
London this afternoon: Witness: 'I saw 8-10 people lying on ground in Westminster attack' https://t.co/naFMj4DxlD pic.twitter.com/mLtOMnfEf9
— Jarrod Cooper (@JarrodLCooper) March 22, 2017
Police secure the area on the south side of #Westminster after alleged #terrorist attack in Parliament pic.twitter.com/InxerAmpqA
— Shabnam Nasimi (@NasimiShabnam) March 22, 2017
London Ambulance Service asks people NOT to call them as it deals with Westminster terrorist attack https://t.co/WiQ5YFzVR9 pic.twitter.com/4fKdPp13jV
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) March 22, 2017
However, the Metropolitan Police has requested that people share their video and photo of the incident with them for better and faster trackdown of the culprit/s.
If you have photos or film of the incident in #Westminster please make sure you pass them to police https://t.co/l9dn1FQr7B
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 22, 2017
The area is in a state of lockdown and nearby connecting train service has been suspended.
Latest photos from Westminster after "terrorist incident" declared around Parliament https://t.co/zvtuf21gwT pic.twitter.com/nchRCM5eVu
— Sharif El Bagdadi (@BagdadiSharif) March 22, 2017
The UK leader of Opposition, Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, has tweeted out his response.
My statement on the ongoing incident in Westminster. Our thoughts are with the victims, their friends and families pic.twitter.com/Fo5WNXHWPI
— Jeremy Corbyn MP (@jeremycorbyn) March 22, 2017
Fox News on Twitter said POTUS Donald Trump has been alerted to the UK Parliamnet attack incident.
News Alert: @POTUS has been briefed on the incident at #UKParliament. https://t.co/EMtm9W8ZUS pic.twitter.com/3kPXpEZye2
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 22, 2017
.@JennaLeeUSA runs down what we know so far about the incident in London. #UKParliament https://t.co/EMtm9WqAMq pic.twitter.com/ase0YQ6fAt
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 22, 2017
The climate of fear in the wake of Brexit last June and Trump’s election in November 2016 has been intensified. It’s still not clear if the UK Parliament attack has any Islamic fundamentalism angle to it, given UK has just extended a ban on electronic items on airlines from six predominantly Muslim countries.