London attacks: Nothing could have prepared the city for lone wolf assault

ANALYSIS: IT was a day that for more than two years Londoners had been told to mentally prepare for; an attack in the UK capital was no longer a case of if but when.

IT was a day that for more than two years Londoners had been told to mentally prepare for; an attack in the British capital was no longer a case of if but when.

Scotland Yard was never going to be challenged on the dramatically blunt message that had all but become a mantra that senior officers would utter at every opportunity.

The signs had all been there not least of all as an incredible more than one person a day was being arrested in the UK on serious terrorist related charges, but the chatter on social media highlighted those in British society wanting to do harm in the name of Islam.

ROLLING UPDATES: Latest on the London attacks

A member of the public is treated by emergency services near Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament in London. The speed and response of emergency services was phenomenal.

Last year for the first time in more than a century ‘Bobbies’ patrolling certain areas of the capital were armed with guns and great steel swing-gate barriers were built on certain streets so that in the event of an attack the city could physically go into lockdown. The threat level had been at “severe” for years.

But no guns or heightened awareness could have prepared the city, that brags to be the safest in the world, from the lone wolf attack that took place in the shadow of one of the most recognisable buildings in the world.

An Air Ambulance at the scene by Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament in London following the attack.

And that’s a threat that affects every major hub in the world.

At 2.40pm (1.40am Thursday AEDT) in the famous Parliament Square below Big Ben, the world’s oldest symbol of democracy in the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey an attacker with two large knives, having already mowed down pedestrians including schoolchildren on Westminster Bridge, rushed at the gates of parliament stabbing a police officer to death.

A member of the public bleeding from the head is helped by emergency services near Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.

Prime Minister Theresa May overnight chaired a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee to look at immediate responses such as deploying more covert and overt police onto the streets in London as well as other cities.

In the room were key figures Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, Security Minister Ben Wallace, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Foreign Minister Sir Alan Duncan as well as Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, Britain’s most senior anti-terrorist police officer who addressed the gathered.

But the message to those in the room was that very little could be done about lone wolf attacks “striking the heart of our city”.

Exceptional bravery, both May and Rowley said, of the police officers who ran toward the danger prevented further carnage but resulted in one officer dead and three others injured.

The response by emergency services is a lead story in this tragedy.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May said Londoners and those visiting the city would never give in to the “voices of hate”.

The speed and response was phenomenal. Nothing could have prevented the attack but well-rehearsed drills to prevent further loss of life and injury worked extremely well.

Behind every lone wolf are others without a doubt that have some form of knowledge or involvement and the controlled management of the attack could well have limited anyone else’s ability, should there have been another suspect, from following on.

Already a list of the attacker’s family and associates is being pursued.

An injured member of the public being helped by emergency services. A list of the attacker’s family and associates is being pursued.

In a public statement May made it clear terrorism would be defeated, Londoners and those visiting the city would never give in to the “voices of hate”.

In World War II it was that “keep calm and carry on” message that was delivered to the country embattled by Nazi terror and today emblazons on tourist souvenirs and T-shirts.

And those words in theme were very much in May’s words as she called for the city to resume business as usual and not cower in the face of the continued threat.