Editorial: A Brief Note on the Westminster Attacks
In the wake of the terrorist incident which left five dead and over 40 injured in Westminster this week, St John Street News editor Tom Buxton offers his perspective on these tragic events and how the city of London can move forward.
Few words can do true justice to the four victims who lost their lives, the numerous bystanders who suffered severe injuries, or the brave souls who put everything at risk to help during this week’s Westminster attack.
It will surely be some time before we can even begin to understand the causes or wider consequences of these events, with the Metropolitan Police now mounting an investigation into the perpetrator(s) of the incident and the names of the deceased still in the process of being revealed at the time of writing.
But in this ongoing period of citywide fear and distress, we here at St John Street News want to emphasise – and encourage our readership to share – our wholehearted commitment to upholding the campaign for solidarity that we’ve seen permeate the capital and indeed worldwide social media ever since news of the incident first broke out.
There’s no denying how substantial a challenge lies before us – particularly those directly affected by the incident – in terms of moving forward, restoring the city’s morale and regaining our own sense of personal security.
Yet doing so will be of the utmost importance if we are to prove that our community’s values and unrelenting resilience cannot be broken, even in the darkest of hours. If the old adage that such hours of turmoil come just before the break of dawn seems outdated, then by all means follow the powerful instruction of Winston Churchill instead: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
While the St John Street News team will in the coming days provide further coverage of the week’s events from the perspective of Islington and its surrounding boroughs, it’s vital to keep in mind the countless citizens still suffering both physically and psychologically from the aftermath of the attack as we speak.
We would thus advise that – just as our reporters strive to produce accurate, unbiased coverage of local happenings – our readers remain cautious and vigilant when reading and disseminating updates provided by non-official sources so as to avoid false rumours running rampant, particularly in the interests of those personally affected by the incident.
In the meantime, our deepest sympathies lie with everyone impacted by this traumatic affair, and our gratitude with those civil servants who – undeterred by the horrors they may have witnessed in the process – contributed so rapidly to the recovery efforts.
For those still concerned as to the whereabouts of loved ones in the wake of these events, the Metropolitan Police are asking that you contact their Casualty Bureau:
Worried about family/friends involved in today’s incident in #Westminster? Please call Casualty Bureau on 0800 056 0944 & 0207 158 0010
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 22, 2017