The city of London came together Sunday to remember the eight people killed a year ago during terrorist attacks at London Bridge and Borough market. "
The city of London came together Sunday to remember the eight people killed a year ago during terrorist attacks at London Bridge and Borough market.
“Today we remember those who died and the many more who were injured, and also pay tribute to the bravery of our emergency services and those who intervened or came to the aid of others,” British Prime Minister Theresa May said.
Eight people died and nearly 50 others were injured when three attackers began their deadly rampage that started with a van striking people along the bridge and a series of stabbings in the market area. All three attackers were killed by police within minutes.
“My message to those who seek to target our way of life or try to divide us is clear — our resolve to stand firm and overcome this threat together has never been stronger,” May said.
Survivors from the attacks, emergency workers, and politicians, including May and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, attended a service at Southwark Cathedral near the bridge.
“The many stories of courage demonstrated that night will always stay with me — such as Ignacio Echeverria, who died after confronting the terrorists with the only thing he had, his skateboard, and Geoff Ho, who spent almost two weeks in hospital after being stabbed in the neck as he shielded his friends,” May said.
A national moment of silence was observed at 4:30 p.m. local time and London Bridge closed from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. to commemorate those killed before the words #LondonUnited were projected onto it later in the evening.
A day earlier on Saturday, a group of traders gathered as the work day came to an end to observe a moment of silence for the eight victims.
In a note delivered with a wreath of flowers police commissioner Cressida Dick wrote, “Everyone who lost their lives and who are still in pain are in the thoughts of the officers and staff of the Metropolitan Police.”
In a photo shared by Mayor Khan, he said that the memory is still painful a year later and a note that read, “Our city will never forget you. We stand united against terrorism and together in remembering the innocent lives lost.”
In her remarks, May made it a point to say that of the eight people who were killed, seven of them were foreigners and this reflected “our great cosmopolitan capital, whose energy and values brings together people from across the world, and a tragic reminder that the threat from terrorism transcends borders and impacts us all.”
The London Bridge attack happened less than two weeks after 22 people were killed at England’s Manchester Arena in a bombing following an Ariana Grande concert.
The terror threat in Britain remains at severe, the second-highest level — meaning “an attack is highly likely.”
Britain’s Home Office said Sunday that “we expect the threat from Islamist terrorism to remain at its current, heightened level for at least the next two years, and that it may increase further.”
In an effort to combat what Britain sees as a increasing threat from extreme-right violence, Home Secretary Sajid Javid unveiled plans to recruit 2,000 new security officers, according to the Associated Press.
