Prime Minister Theresa May said that Great Britain has to step up the fight against terrorism following the attacks on London Bridge that claimed the lives of at least seven people and injured almost 50 by ramming a van into pedestrians. The police have arrested 12 people in connection with the attack. Mrs. May commented that her country has so far been too tolerant to Islamist extremism and proposed regulating cyberspace. The attacks that included stabbing attacks in nearby bars were the third in less than three months.
Only two weeks ago, a suicide bomber killed 22 people at a concert of American singer Ariana Grande in Manchester and in March, a similar attack to the one on London Bridged claimed lives of five people. Mrs. May said that the series of attacks was not connected in terms of their planning and execution but were inspired by a “single, evil ideology of Islamist extremism that represented a perversion of Islam and of the truth”. British Prime Minister also confirmed that the upcoming national election would go ahead. “It is time to say enough is enough,” Mrs. May said and added that “we cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are.”
British and world leaders condemned the London attacks immediately, with Pope Francis urging believers in St Peter’s square to pray for the victims. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the attack was “a deliberate and cowardly attack on innocent Londoners and visitors to our city enjoying their Saturday night,” adding that “there is no justification whatsoever for such barbaric acts”. European Union President Jean-Claude Juncker also condemned the latest terrorist attack by stressing that “the European Union, its member states and its allies around the world will stand with them in solidarity. Together we will continue to uphold the values that make us peaceful, democratic, open and tolerant societies.”
