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UK: MPs call for 'defiance and calmness' after deadly Westminster attack
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23.03.2017
UK Members of Parliament, Adrian Bailey and Peter Bottomley, called for defiance and calmness among the British population in the face of the deadly Westminster attack in London on Wednesday.
Bailey recalled the atmosphere among MPs in the House of Commons Chamber right after the attack, saying "Effectively it was a lockdown and I spent the last four hours or so there like other MPs taking phone calls, sending phone calls, texts, just to reassure our loved ones and friends that we're safe and gathering round the television monitors to see what was happening outside."
Bailey expressed gratitude towards security forces in public service for their role in dealing with the Westminster attack. The Labour MP also added that parliamentarians should accept the likelihood of being attacked "at some time," while adding "at the end of the day, we're here to serve people and if that comes with a degree of risk, then we accept it."
Bottomley also thanked the police officers and called for calmness among the population. The Conservative Party MP drew a parallel between the Westminster attack and IRA bombings during the 1960s and '70s, saying "What we have to remember is - people do this things for publicity and public reaction."
"If it turns out that the attacker is Muslim, we shouldn't hate Muslims, we should say to the Muslims - 'we're very sorry that someone who claims to have your religion has done this kind of thing'. In the same way in the 1960s and '70s, when there were IRA bombs, we said 'I hate the Irish'. And then two decades, in twenty years we were saying 'We know this is not being done in your name, we sympathise with you that these things do happen'. So we need to stay calm, we need to be resolute," finished Bottomley.
During the incident, a police officer was stabbed outside the Houses of Parliament and a car reportedly driven into a crowd of people on Westminster Bridge. Five people were killed in total, including the attacker who was reportedly shot dead.
Authorities believe there was only one attacker.
Bailey recalled the atmosphere among MPs in the House of Commons Chamber right after the attack, saying "Effectively it was a lockdown and I spent the last four hours or so there like other MPs taking phone calls, sending phone calls, texts, just to reassure our loved ones and friends that we're safe and gathering round the television monitors to see what was happening outside."
Bailey expressed gratitude towards security forces in public service for their role in dealing with the Westminster attack. The Labour MP also added that parliamentarians should accept the likelihood of being attacked "at some time," while adding "at the end of the day, we're here to serve people and if that comes with a degree of risk, then we accept it."
Bottomley also thanked the police officers and called for calmness among the population. The Conservative Party MP drew a parallel between the Westminster attack and IRA bombings during the 1960s and '70s, saying "What we have to remember is - people do this things for publicity and public reaction."
"If it turns out that the attacker is Muslim, we shouldn't hate Muslims, we should say to the Muslims - 'we're very sorry that someone who claims to have your religion has done this kind of thing'. In the same way in the 1960s and '70s, when there were IRA bombs, we said 'I hate the Irish'. And then two decades, in twenty years we were saying 'We know this is not being done in your name, we sympathise with you that these things do happen'. So we need to stay calm, we need to be resolute," finished Bottomley.
During the incident, a police officer was stabbed outside the Houses of Parliament and a car reportedly driven into a crowd of people on Westminster Bridge. Five people were killed in total, including the attacker who was reportedly shot dead.
Authorities believe there was only one attacker.
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