A stamped symbol of freedom. Theresa May poses as an iron lady
(B2) After the attack that hit Westminster this Wednesday (March 22) which left at least 4 dead and 40 injured (1), the exit from a meeting of the special government committee in "Cobra" format, the Prime Minister British Theresa May held: “ The location of this attack was no accident.”
A symbol of freedom
“The terrorists have chosen to strike at the heart of our capital, where people of all nationalities, religions and cultures come together to celebrate the values of freedom, democracy and freedom of expression. These streets of Westminster - home to the oldest Parliament in the world - are imbued with a spirit of freedom that echoes in some of the most remote corners of the globe. And the values that our Parliament represents - democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law - command the admiration and respect of free people everywhere. This is why it is a target for those who reject these values. »
No lockdown in London
The Prime Minister wanted to reassure immediately: “ any attempt to defeat these values through violence and terror is doomed to failure. Tomorrow morning Parliament will meet normally. We will meet normally. Londoners - and others from around the world who have come here to visit this great city - will get up and head off as usual. They will board their trains, they will leave their hotels, they will walk these streets, they will live their lives. » (2)
Don't give in to terror, don't give in to hate
And to conclude: “Never give in to terror, never let the voices of hate and evil separate us. “Useful clarification:” The UK's threat level has been [at a] severe level for some time and that won't change ».
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
(1) Among the dead, there is 1 police officer (Keith Palmer, 48 years old, former soldier of the Royal Artillery), 3 civilians (a Briton, an American and a Briton of Spanish origin) and the attacker (a 52-year-old man). Among the injured, there are not only British but also three French from Concarneau - two of them seriously -, two Romanians, two Greeks, one German, one Pole, one Irishman, one Italian and four South Koreans. Mainly tourists and students.
(2) A totally different vision from the one that presided over Belgium in November 2015 and March 2016, and which seems healthier: getting life back to normal as quickly as possible.
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The official narrative as told by the Prime Minister
A lone assailant drove his vehicle onto the pavement of Westminster Bridge, killing two people and injuring several others, including three police officers. This assailant, who was armed with a knife, then ran towards Parliament where he was confronted by the police officers guarding. An officer was killed. The terrorist was shot dead.
