News Opinons Politics

Sadiq Khan After Terror Attack: ‘Our Strength Is Our Diversity’

London mayor Sadiq Khan told reporters that diversity is one of the British capital’s strengths in the wake of the London Bridge attack, and that all great cities are targets for terrorists.

“Look, I’m mayor of the greatest city in the world, and one of our strengths is our diversity,” he told reporters shortly the attack by Usman Khan, a convicted radical Islamic terrorist who had been freed from prison on a tag after serving less than half of a 16-year term, which left two dead and three injured.

“But we do know there are people out there who hate out diversity, hate what we stand for, and are trying to seek to divide us”, he added — although his grounds for appearing to suggest that terrorists despise Britain for being diverse were unclear.


Mayor Khan then flirted with controversy with a statement echoing an earlier, infamous former claim of his with respect to terror attacks — i.e. that “part and parcel of living in a great global city is you’ve got to be prepared for these things” — by telling reporters: “Look, I know, speaking to colleagues around the world, mayors of other great cities, that we’re all targets for terrorists.”


California authorities search for 2 children allegedly abducted by father, fear for their safety
At least 1 shot, 1 detained after reported active shooter at Texas mall: police
Federal appeals court rejects Trump bid to enforce mail ballot order ahead of midterm elections
Second House Discovered Related to Family With 16 ‘Almost Feral’ Children – Building Described as ‘Just Urine, Feces’
India’s education minister resigns after student protests over medical exam leaks
EXCLUSIVE: Alleged $32M COVID-19 fraud fugitive captured in Jamaica and returned to US, FBI says
Court checks Pritzker as Trump administration scores another immigration win
NYC 5-alarm fire injures at least 17 firefighters, others as blaze damages multiple apartment buildings
Katy Perry ‘appalled’ to see her song used on White House TikTok account
Biden judge blocking Ethiopian deportations despite SCOTUS ruling clashed with ICE before
Fewer Gay Professionals Feel Being Gay Helps Their Career
Trump defends New York Times subpoenas as judge seeks internal DOJ communications
State Officials Blamed Citizens for Death of Bear Stuck Atop Power Pole, but What Bystander Says She Saw Changes Everything
Maine Democrats crown Troy Jackson as Platner replacement as fresh scrutiny clouds Senate reset
Pentagon Official Calls Ex-White House AI Architect ‘Village Idiot’ in China Policy Spat

See also  Five dead after group attempts to save struggling swimmer in Ohio

Some critics of the Mayor of London have suggested that such attacks only appear to be a feature of life in cities such as London, while in a relatively homogenous place like the Japanese capital of Tokyo they are exceedingly rare — although not entirely unknown.

Mayor Khan went on to say that London would have suffered even more deadly terror attacks like the one perpetrated by Usman Khan if not for the efforts of the authorities, confirming that “since the four terror incidents in 2017, because of the excellent work that police and the security services and because of the intelligence provided by members of the public, we’ve thwarted more than twenty attempts at terrorism on innocent citizens”.


California authorities search for 2 children allegedly abducted by father, fear for their safety
At least 1 shot, 1 detained after reported active shooter at Texas mall: police
Federal appeals court rejects Trump bid to enforce mail ballot order ahead of midterm elections
Second House Discovered Related to Family With 16 ‘Almost Feral’ Children – Building Described as ‘Just Urine, Feces’
India’s education minister resigns after student protests over medical exam leaks
EXCLUSIVE: Alleged $32M COVID-19 fraud fugitive captured in Jamaica and returned to US, FBI says
Court checks Pritzker as Trump administration scores another immigration win
NYC 5-alarm fire injures at least 17 firefighters, others as blaze damages multiple apartment buildings
Katy Perry ‘appalled’ to see her song used on White House TikTok account
Biden judge blocking Ethiopian deportations despite SCOTUS ruling clashed with ICE before
Fewer Gay Professionals Feel Being Gay Helps Their Career
Trump defends New York Times subpoenas as judge seeks internal DOJ communications
State Officials Blamed Citizens for Death of Bear Stuck Atop Power Pole, but What Bystander Says She Saw Changes Everything
Maine Democrats crown Troy Jackson as Platner replacement as fresh scrutiny clouds Senate reset
Pentagon Official Calls Ex-White House AI Architect ‘Village Idiot’ in China Policy Spat

See also  Five dead after group attempts to save struggling swimmer in Ohio

“[W]hat’s really important is we all remain vigilant,” he warned, adding that “If anyone sees anything suspicious please report it to the police. Err on the side of caution, I’d rather people overreport to the police and the experts than under-report,” he said.

The Labour politician also praised the heroism of the have-a-go heroes who tackled Usman Khan armed with nothing but their bare hands, a fire extinguisher, and a narwhal tusk, as well as the emergency services, saying that “What was amazing about today, was we saw in one individual, the suspect, the worst of humanity, but we also saw in the response from members of the public but also our emergency services the very vest of humanity.”

“[T]he message I want to send… is we are resolute, we stand united in the face of terrorism, and we will not allow anybody to divide us,” he insisted.

Story cited here.

Share this article:
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter