News Updates
A crude explosive device was detonated on a London Underground subway train at Parsons Green in southwest London at around 8:20 am (UK time) on Friday morning, during the morning rush hour. 22 people have been rushed to the hospital for treatment of injuries, though no fatalities have been reported as of yet.
This was the fifth major terrorist attack in Britain this year, following a vehicular and knife attack near Parliament in March, a suicide bombing at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in May, and a van and knife attack around London Bridge and a van attack outside a London mosque, both in June.
Officials Respond
- While British officials are emphasizing resilience in the face of terror, once again, President Trump is stoking the flames of fear
- Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted: "My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident."
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan has asked for calm, saying the city "will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism."
- Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "Once more people going about their everyday lives have been targeted in a callous and indiscriminate way. My thoughts are with all those injured and affected."
- President Donald Trump tweeted: "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" Trump has also suggested that the government cut off internet access to extremist groups. His series of tweets following the blast are included below:
Talking Points
- We are once again devastated by this latest attack in London, and infuriated that an attack has been waged against innocents in an act of mindless violence. Those who commit acts of mass violence often seek notoriety, and to control the world around them. With their resilience in the face of such violence, Londoners reject fear in favor of strength, diminishing the power of the attacker and deterring future attackers.
- The contrast between the responsible rhetoric of British leaders and the irresponsible rhetoric coming from our President's Twitter account is striking. Strong leadership maintains conviction in our values in the face of fear, and knows that our strength lies in our ability to come together. Leadership that gives into fear and cowardice seeks to divide us by implementing irrational "solutions" that are not only discriminatory in nature, but also do not make us safer.
- While those who carry out attacks of mass violence are few, we are many – when we as a community of rational, thoughtful humans condemn violence in all its forms in the strongest way possible, when we see the patterns that undercut all acts of mass violence from Charlottesville to London, we can create common sense solutions with lasting impact.
- Violence isn’t owned by any one faith or political ideology – it is a tool that the weak use to make themselves appear strong, and to assert power over a world in which they feel powerless. To justify bigoted policies against an entire faith group in the wake of such an attack is manipulative, and we will not give in to this kind of reckless leadership. We will stand together with our neighbors of all faiths and all colors, we will protect each other from violence, and we will show irresponsible leaders what true leadership looks like.
- Britons know that we are stronger when we come together to create solutions for the epidemic of mass violence around the world. They know that when we allow ourselves to be divided, we create an atmosphere that stunts growth and real change. True resilience is continuing to treat each other with dignity, fairness, and respect, pushing past the ugliness of our fear to have real impact against what often paralyzes us.
- Some of America and Britain's proudest moments have been when they have fought together to combat mass genocide that occurred in the name of fear, discrimination, and intimidation. When we look back at our joint histories, we are proudest when standing strong against bigotry. Moments in our histories when we have given in to discrimination have been low points, moments that we look back on in shame. Using an attack like this to justify violence or discrimination against an entire faith group (like for instance, calling for a tougher Muslim ban) is not adhering to the values that have made us proud as a country, and instead is giving in to the kind of behavior that we will regret in the years to come.
- Further, as we reinforce our national security here in the United States, we must do so strategically and thoughtfully. We must base national security investigations on evidence and by looking at the personality patterns that exist in all those who commit acts of mass violence, rather than single out an entire group of people because of their faith, the color of their skin, or their nation of origin.
- We need to start pushing past our fear and be smart about how we tackle an epidemic of mass violence. Any national security investigations must be based on evidence, and when we look at mass violence as a whole instead of parsed out by perpetrator’s religion or ideology, we can see the patterns that will help us find common sense solutions. We will not single out an entire group of people because of their faith, the color of their skin, or their nation of origin.
