Terror attacks like Bourke St are like wounds — they heal over but they leave scars

THE police officers caught in the carnage on Bourke St stared death in the face and stood firm to protect the rest of us. They will be changed by what happened, as will all Melburnians, but they should rest easy knowing they have our support and admiration, writes Katie Bice.

VICTORIANS will be shaken by the events in Bourke St on Friday, frightened even.

Bystanders’ video footage is so clear it is shockingly amazing. It’s hard to believe what you’re watching is real.

Hard to believe that it’s happening in the heart of our beautiful city.

Some will return to the popular shopping mall quickly, an act of defiance in the face of evil; some will take longer to return, but barely anyone will now be able to walk that strip without the thought of Friday passing through their minds.

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A man on Bourke St lunges at police with knife before he was shot.

A man brandishes a knife while a ute in on fire in Bourke St. Picture: @chrismacheras/Twitter

Our city and our community will forge ahead, refusing to bow to the cowardly actions of one man, but it is only natural to worry about where we are heading.

Would my family be safer if we just avoided the city now? Should we move altogether to a more tranquil place where disturbed minds are not being encouraged to kill the innocent?

The attack is proof that despite the systematic dismantling of IS in Syria it is harder to protect us from dangerous people on our own shores.

To the police officers caught in the carnage, a simple “thank you” just doesn’t seem adequate.

They stared death in the face on Friday and stood firm to protect the rest of us.

They acted quickly, professionally, bravely. And they did so while showing remarkable restraint.

If word of witnesses is accurate, they were being urged by onlookers to shoot the terrorist long before they did.

Sisto Malaspina (right) and his business partner Nino.

People pay their respects for Sisto Malaspina outside Pellegrini's Espresso Bar. Picture: AFP

They will be changed by what has happened but they should rest easy, knowing they have our full support and admiration.

Police are trained, as well as anybody could be, for dealing with lethal incidents. Ordinary citizens are not, which makes the actions of those who tried to help so remarkable.

Men can be seen with chairs, a shopping trolley and part of a plastic bollard putting themselves in harm’s way to stop the threat.

And there were those who assisted the two injured and did everything they could to bring aid to the fatally wounded victim.

These acts of kindness and courage bring hope to us in the darkest of hours. For the one man intent on harming, there were a dozen who wanted to help.

Terror attacks are like wounds: they heal over but leave scars. We should use those scars as reminders not of the hatred that brought us here but the resilience we have shown and will continue to show.

Katie Bice is the Sunday Herald Sun deputy editor.
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