Terror incident on London Bridge
A QUEENSLAND woman was among those stabbed after terrorists leapt from a van crossing London Bridge. British police have now arrested 12 in relation to the attack.
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Three suspected assailants all shot dead by police
Seven pedestrians killed, as many as 48 wounded
Van driven into pedestrians on London Bridge
Assailants went on stabbing spree in Borough Market area
A QUEENSLAND woman was stabbed in the throat in the minutes after three attackers leapt from their white Van after running down pedestrians on London Bridge.
One of two Australians caught up in the terror attack is Candice Hedge, who moved to London from Queensland a year ago.
She has reportedly called friends and family back in Australia to say that she had been stabbed in the throat, but the wound had missed her windpipe and major arteries.
Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May has declared an all-out assault on extremist terrorism after the white van veered off the road and barreled into pedestrians on busy London Bridge. Three men fled the van with large knives and attacked people at bars and restaurants in nearby Borough Market, police and witnesses said. The attack unfolded quickly, and police said officers had shot and killed the three attackers within eight minutes.
Seven civilians were killed and 48 taken to hospital.
Prime Minister May told a press conference the only link between this attack and a string of others across Britain in recent months was the ‘evil ideology of Islamist extremism’.
Police arrest in #barking #LondonBridgeAttack pic.twitter.com/kGXAa66Zkq
— DNV (@DNV_official) June 4, 2017
FIVE ARRESTED IN LONDON RAID
A counter-terror operation in the district of Barking, east London has resulted in five people - one a woman wearing a burka - being detained.
Police say they have now detained a total of 12 people since the London Bridge attack.
Aerial footage being broadcast on UK TV shows police have cordoned off a block of flats and an ambulance is in attendance.
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"He's a member of the community," says neighbour of one attacker, whose address in Barking has been raided by police #LondonAttack pic.twitter.com/K0fAOrMOR8
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 4, 2017
The Telegraph reports a witness describing police opening fire on one man attempting to escape.
“One man tried to flee and they shot him outside my house. They put him in an ambulance and then the others in a police van,” Tara Milan said.
Sky News is reporting the raided address was linked to one of the attackers killed by police.
The woman was later released, but the four men have been charged.
PRIME MINISTER MAY TAKES AIM AT CYBERSPACE
Addressing media following the attack, Prime Minsiter May said that while the string of terror attacks in the UK in recent months were not connected, they shared the ‘evil ideology of Islamist extremism’.
“They are bound together by the single evil ideology of Islamist extremism that preaches hatred, sows division, and promotes sectarianism,” she said. “It is an ideology that claims our Western values and freedom, democracy and human rights are incompatible with the religion of Islam.”
"Enough is enough." Read the PM’s response on Downing Street following last night’s brutal terror attack. https://t.co/reG7rPxrq0 pic.twitter.com/X9rKPOQNyQ
— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) June 4, 2017
Deafting this is one of the greatest challenges of our time, May said.
She said there was “far too much tolerance of extremism in our country”
“It will only be defeated when we turn people’s minds away from this violence and make them understand that our values - pluralistic British values - are superior to anything offered by the preachers and supporters of hate,” she said.
Prime Minister May declared she would pursue international cooperation to prevent extremists from exploiting open internet platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to spread their messages of hate, along with new reviews of anti-terror powers and laws.
“We cannot allow this ideology the safe space it needs to breed. Yet that is precisely what the internet and the big companies that provide internet-based services provide,” May said.
She added anti-terror police had successfully disrupted five ‘credible plots' since the Westminster attack in March.
“We believe we are experiencing a new trend in the threat we face as terrorism breeds terrorism, and perpetrators are inspired to attack not only on the basis of carefully constructed plots after years of planning and training, and not even as lone attackers radicalised online, but by copying one another and often using the crudest of means of attack.
Commissioner Cressida Dick's live statement #LondonBridge #BoroughMarket https://t.co/bl1VmC8iUF
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 4, 2017
“While we have made significant progress in recent years, there is - to be frank - far too much tolerance of extremism in our country,” she said.
But the whole of our country needs to come together to take on this extremism, and we need to live our lives not in a series of separated, segregated communities, but as one truly United Kingdom.
“Our country has made signifcant progress in disrupting plots and protecting the public, but it’s time to say enough is enough. Everybody needs to go about their lives as they normally would. But when it comes to taking on extremism and terrorism, things need to change.”
AUSSIES CAUGHT UP IN THE ATTACK
Candice Hedge is one of two Australians known to have been injured in the terrifying terror attack.
Ms Hedge, 31, was dining in London with her boyfriend when she was stabbed in the neck and is now recovering in hospital.
The Brisbane woman wrote on Facebook: “Hey everyone, just so you know I’m doing ok. Bit of pain but I will survive. Thanks for your thoughts and well wishes. Love to all.”
The hospitality worker moved to London about six months ago.
CANDICE HEDGE: ‘Bit of pain but I will survive’
She had finished working as waitress at Elliot’s restaurant in London Bridge and was sitting at the bar having a drink when a man came up behind her and slashed her throat with a knife.
It’s understood she had her back to the man and he came up behind her, grabbed her head and slashed her throat.
She was briefly in a coma but is now awake and speaking with friends.
#LondonAttack witness @PieriKaine, who was "around 15 metres away from the white van," recounts his experience and what happened pic.twitter.com/6LNiSV0y3D
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 4, 2017
So much respect to the men and women who came out to protect us and are still on the streets protecting us this morning pic.twitter.com/lUi8SDrffe
— sanya burgess (@sanyaburgess) June 4, 2017
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull earlier told media: “We are aware of reports of two Australians who have been directly affected by this attack.”
“This afternoon the Foreign Minister spoke to the parents of both Australians. One case has been confirmed and that Australian concerned is in hospital.
“In the other case, we are continuing to make inquiries. Our officials will continue to provide every assistance they can to Australians affected by this shocking attack and their families.”
One New Zealander and two French citizens are also among the casualties. Both Australian victims are believed aged under 35.
Mr Turnbull added that he admired the swift action of first responders.
“We send to the people of Britain our resolute solidarity. As always, (we are) allies in the values we defend, he said.
“We will never, ever bow to terrorism. we will continue ... to lead our lives the way we always have.”
HOW THE ATTACK UNFOLDED
The incident began at 10.08pm local time (7.08am AEST) when a white van travelling south on London Bridge swerved into crowds of pedestrians.
What followed was an eight-minute rampage, as the three men got out of the van and proceeded to stab pedestrians in London’s Borough Market area at random.
Police and paramedics were on site in six minutes and the attackers were shot by police gunfire outside the WheatSheaf Pub at approximately 10.16pm.
We are all shocked and angry today - but this is our city. We will never let these cowards win and we will never be cowed by terrorism. pic.twitter.com/o7ZMwg28mv
— Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) June 4, 2017
London Ambulance reported 48 people were taken to hospital.
There were reports of explosions in the precinct, but it was later confirmed that these were controlled operations.
As dawn broke over the capital, a large area on the south bank of the River Thames remained cordoned off. Police told people to avoid the area, leaving tourists and revelers struggling to get home.
EYEWITNESS: Attackers shouted ‘This is for Allah!’
POLICE ADVICE: ‘Run to a place of safety’
THIRTY PEOPLE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL
At 12.25pm local time the Metropolitan Police confirmed the incidents at London Bridge and Borough Market were terrorist acts.
Police had earlier responded to a third incident in Vauxhall, but police later confirmed that it was a stabbing and was not related to the other two incidents.
Three hospitals in the area - Guy’s, St Thomas’ and Evelina Children’s Hospital London were locked down to keep patients, visitors and staff safe.
At least 48 victims have been taken to six hospitals, the ambulance service said.
“We have taken at least 48 patients to six hospitals across London following the incident at London Bridge,” the London Ambulance Service’s assistant director of operations, Peter Rhodes, said in a statement.
“We have also treated a number of people at the scene for less serious injuries,” he added.
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Prime Minister Theresa May said the “terrible incident’’ was being treated as a “potential act of terrorism.’’
The Conservative Party has been joined in suspending campaigning ahead of the upcoming national election by the Labour Party and Scottish National Party. The UKIP has refused to pause its campaigning, stating disrupting democracy is what the terrorists want.
PEDESTRIANS MOWED DOWN ON LONDON BRIDGE
At 10.08pm (7.08am Sunday AEST) on Saturday night London time, a white van mowed down people crossing London Bridge on the Thames.
Holly Jones, a BBC reporter at the bridge when the incident happened, said a van had swerved off the road into a crowd of pedestrians.
“A white van driver came speeding - probably about 50m/ph (80km/h) - veered off the road into the crowds of people who were walking along the pavement,” she told BBC News.
“He swerved right round me and then hit about five or six people. He hit about two people in front of me and then three behind.”
“I’d say there are about four severely injured people (here). They all have paramedics assisting them at the moment.”
Another witness told Reuters she saw three people with their throats apparently cut on London Bridge.
The first statement from Metropolitan Police was: “Info available at this stage: from 22.08hrs officers responded to reports of a vehicle in collision with pedestrians on London Bridge.”
THREE ATTACKERS AT BOROUGH MARKET
Minutes later, people had been stabbed at the nearby Borough Market, with armed police firing a number of shots as they tried to shut down the attackers and evacuate thousands of people packed into the busy restaurant area south of the Thames.
A man has claimed the three attackers shouted “This is for Allah!” while stabbing people.
The apparent witness, called Eric, was speaking live on the BBC when he made the claim.
He was describing the men as having jumped out of the van before knifing people at random.
As far as the Mirror is aware, this is the first and only claim so far that the attackers shouted “This is for Allah”.
London bridge bar now. Police everywhere pic.twitter.com/0gWH9jhgdX
— James Yates (@Yatesy17) June 3, 2017
INJURIES AND CHAOS
People were being treated by paramedics in the middle of the road at London Bridge, and eyewitnesses reported seeing people with significant knife wounds in the area around the Borough Market and nearby Southwark Street.
Emergency service sirens were heard across London as police, paramedics and firefighters raced to the various scenes.
The three assailants shot dead by police after stabbing several people in the Borough Market area of London were wearing fake suicide vests, police said.
“The suspects were wearing what looked like explosive vests but these were later established to be hoaxes,” Britain’s head of counter-terrorism Mark Rowley said.
Social media video showing police entering a local bar and calling for everyone inside to take cover was posted.
‘THREE GUYS RAN IN WITH KNIVES’
Witness Wendy Clarke told News Corp she was in the Black and Blue steakhouse near London Bridge when she saw a bottle being thrown.
She said her daughter saw three men with knives run in.
Her friend Jag Sandu saw a man slashed with a knife.
“There were three guys who ran in with knives,’’ Ms Clarke said.
Mr Sandhu, 50, was wearing a bloodied grey t-shirt after a man fell on him after he was slashed by one of the men who ran into the restaurant.
“I don’t know who he was,” he told News Corp.
“He was on me. I’m on the floor. He was on me.”
“At first I thought it was a fight. Some geezers having a go,” Mr Sandhu said.
“I grabbed a few glasses and I thought ‘right if they’re having a go, I’ll have a go’,” he said.
But then he saw police enter.
“We saw the police so we thought we’ll go with them but they legged it.
“I’m like, ‘if they’re running away, we’re running away’.
“And then the next minute everyone was running.”
“He (the injured man) said something like ‘I’m dying’,” Mr Sandhu said.
Adam President, 50, from Surrey, also said he saw a man stabbed at the Black and Blue restaurant.
“There was a commotion outside. We thought there was a fight,’’ he told News Corp.
“We saw these blokes throwing glasses at the restaurant.
“Then we heard someone shout out ‘they’ve got knives.”
Mr President said he saw two men run into the restaurant.
“I saw him (a patron) get stabbed. Blood was spurting out of his back.
“I thought ‘s..t we’ve got to get out here’.”
He said he later saw three men leaving the restaurant.
“Three men came walking around the corner.
“They were carrying knives. One looked like a bread knife. I think it was a pink bread knife.
“They all had something in their hands.
“They were walking slowly not running.”
They left the restaurant and went into a pub.
“They locked the doors and said get down.”
Mr President said there was a man lying on the floor outside the toilet upstairs in the pub who had knife wounds.
Paramedics were in the pub and treating the man, Mr President said.
People outside enjoying some unexpectedly warm London weather took cover inside bars and restaurants across the area as police struggled to contain the situation.
About two hours after the incident, dozens of people were evacuated near the Borough Market, walking to the police cordons with their hands on their heads.
London Bridge is a major tourist destination, and the incidents have happened in the blocks underneath the landmark Shard tower, and the famous Borough Market, south of the Thames to the west of London’s CBD.
An eyewitness called James told Sky News he saw two police crouching behind a police car and firing a significant number of shots.
Underground trains were diverted from the Southwark and London Bridge stations.
The Sun reported that shots were fired in Vauxhall and police arrested a suspect in the London Bridge terror attack.
The suspect, seen wearing black, was cuffed and led away.
Residents in the high-rise towers around the area were told to stay inside and the Metropolitan Police tweeted a warning for people to “run, hide, tell.’’
Hundreds of police cordoned off London Bridge, evacuating thousands of people from the area, which was teeming with people visiting restaurants and bars on their Saturday evening.
People were being treated by paramedics in the middle of the road at London Bridge, and eyewitnesses reported seeing people with significant knife wounds in the area around the Borough Market and nearby Southwark Street.
TURNBULL BRIEFED ON ATTACKS
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been briefed on the London terrorist attacks by top security officials.
Mr Turnbull discussed the attack with ASIO chief Duncan Lewis, Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Tony Sheehan, senior Federal Police and spoken with Australia’s HIgh Commissioner in London, Alexander Downer.
Mr Turnbull has also discussed the implications of the London attack with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop Attorney-General George Brandis and Justice Minister Michael Keenan.
“Australians should be reassured that our agencies are today, as every day, working relentlessly to keep Australians safe,’’ a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Officials have passed on the condolences of the Australian people to the UK Government.
The Federal Government has been working with the states in recent months to identify public areas which could be susceptible to vehicle attacks and beef up security through measures including the installation of bollards.
EVENTS IN DOUBT
The Australian cricket team’s participation in the Champions Trophy remains unclear after the attacks.
The team is in London ahead of game against Bangladesh at The Oval on Monday.
It’s understood no players were in the vicinity of the attacks on London Bridge, and their hotel was some 10kms away, in Kensington.
The players had earlier gone out for dinner to celebrate captain Steve Smith’s birthday at a restaurant near their hotel.
Cricket Australia didn’t immediately respond to requests about the on-going status for the tournament.
The players were scheduled to train at The Oval, which is within 5km of the Tower Bridge, on Sunday morning.
Australian tourist Zaven Jordan, who was staying at the nearby Novotel Southwark, told The Guardian that “police didn’t just give directions, they were yelling run”.
“When a fire alarm goes off you expect to assemble and then go back inside in a few minutes. We grabbed our passports just in case, but we weren’t really ready for this.”
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London Mayor Sadiq Khan described the incident as “a deliberate and cowardly attack on innocent Londoners and visitors to our city enjoying their Saturday night”
“I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” he said. “There is no justification whatsoever for such barbaric acts.”
The incidents have come just five days before the British general elections. On May 30, troops deployed onto London’s streets in the wake of Manchester were stood down.
Mrs May was heading to 10 Downing Street for a briefing with senior police and security officials. She will chair an emergency meeting of the the national security committee known as Cobra later this morning.
Jeremy Corbyn, the head of the Labour Party, said on Twitter: “Brutal and shocking incidents reported in London. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. Thank you to the emergency services.”
Downing Street says Prime Minister Theresa May will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency response committee on Sunday.
A spokesman for May said the prime minister is in contact with officials and is being regularly updated.
As well as #LondonBridge officers have also responsed to an incident in #BoroughMarket. We have armed police at the scenes.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 3, 2017
As well as #LondonBridge officers have also responsed to an incident in #BoroughMarket. We have armed police at the scenes.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 3, 2017
WORLD LEADERS CONDEMN ATTACK
US President Donald Trump tweeted “whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the UK we will be there – WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!”
French President Emmanuel Macron said France stands “more than ever at Britain’s side”
“In the face of this new tragedy, France is more than ever at Britain’s side,” Macron said in a Tweet.
“My thoughts go out to the victims and their loved ones.”
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also Tweeted.
“Prayers and resolute solidarity are today as always with the people of Britain in the face of the shocking terrorist attacks in London,” he said.
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A NATION HIT BY TERROR
The incidents come just two weeks after 22 people were killed by British-born Islamist suicide bomber Salman Abedi at Manchester Arena.
And on March 22, a British-born Islamic State supporter, Khalid Masood, killed four people on Westminster Bridge by mowing them down with his car, then fatally stabbing a policeman who confronted him.
The latest incidents come just five days before the British general elections.
On May 30, troops deployed onto London’s streets in the wake of Manchester were stood down.
A concert in honour of the Manchester victims is due to take place on Sunday evening.
‘A DELIBERATE AND BARABRIC ACT’
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten condemned the “deliberate and barbaric attack” in a place “dear to our hearts” and sent his sympathies to the victims, their families and friends.
“Suffering on this scale is something we share deeply. Links of kinship and friendship between Australia and Britain are deep and enduring, and so is our grief when events like this happen,” Mr Shorten said.
“We stand with all people of goodwill, of all faiths who utterly reject those who would seek to divide us through terror and violence.”
“Just as has occurred after Manchester, we know that instead of generating fear in the United Kingdom, this attack will only make Britain more determined to confront and defeat the terrorists who seek to exploit Britain’s open, inclusive and democratic society.”
armed police on scene now
— Will Heaven (@WillHeaven) June 3, 2017
Something big going down on London Bridge. View from work. pic.twitter.com/r62NQfEZTa
— Ben Kelly (@BenKellyMusic) June 3, 2017
SAM DASTYARI DESCRIBES ‘HORRIFIC SCENES’
Australian politician Sam Dastyari was having dinner nearby and has tweeted, describing “horrific scenes”.
“Terrible events in London beside where we were having dinner. Just terrible. Whole city in lockdown,” he tweeted.
Senator Dastyari said he had no details of what had happened but praised the professionalism of police on the scene.
No details of what happened but the way the police are handling this is a testament to training, professionalism and experience. (3of3)
— Sam Dastyari (@samdastyari) June 3, 2017
NSW Premier Gladys Berejilian urged Sydneysiders not to bow to threats of
terrorist in the wake of the latest London attacks.
“Of course we should always be aware but we should not be deterred from doing what we love the most,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“All of our thought are prayers are with the people of London this morning as we have reports of awful awful acts of terrorism.”
She said the state remained “ever vigilant” but revealed that she had no plans today to talk to
police chiefs about any extra security clampdowns needed for the city.
She said they knew where she was if they wanted to contact her.
She said she had “no opinion” on whether there would now be road closures to protect crowds at all mass gatherings in Sydney following the shutting down of many city centre streets for the Vivid Festival.
“We can only hope and pray that these events stop occurring,” the premier said.
“As a government we are doing everything we can to keep the community
as safe as possible at all times. We maintain our intelligence networks throughout the globe.”
Read more: Melbourne victims in Barcelona terror attack
A white van ran over many people on london bridge. pic.twitter.com/sM6GTFq9P7
— Man Like Memz (@Ata_Memz) June 3, 2017
Hundreds of people are evacuated from #LondonBridge after unconfirmed accident brings more than 15 police cars and helicopters come to scene pic.twitter.com/IfQLMOXsR0
— Kaine Pieri (@PieriKaine) June 3, 2017
Julie Bishop: No reports of Aussies caught up in London Bridge attack. But the High Commission checking.
— Peter Jean (@peterdujean) June 3, 2017
Julie Bishop: No reports of Aussies caught up in London Bridge attack. But the High Commission checking.
— Peter Jean (@peterdujean) June 3, 2017
- Additional reporting by Tom Minear, Janet Fife-Yeomans and Peter Jean
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