Russians in London: ''I don’t know why but this attack hasn't had such effect like previous ones did''
What Russian-speaking inhabitants of London tell about the tragedy in the capital of the UK
On 22 March, a car drove into a crowd on the Westminster Bridge in London. A driver reached the building of the Parliament where he was stopped by the police. Then he killed a policeman with a knife. The incident was immediately qualified as a terrorist attack, 4 people dead, 40 wounded, the terrorist was shot by other policeman. How London has survived the attack and what the situation in the city is being today – Realnoe Vremya asked Russian-speaking inhabitants living in the capital of the UK and those who came there for business purposes.
''London has been surprised by manifestation of humane attitude''
The head of the Russian segment of change.org Dmitry Savelov on the day of the attack was in London. He was not a direct eyewitness of the incident, but the reaction of the inhabitants to the attack made a very big impression on him. It seems that not only on him but also on the residents of the city who were surprised at the reaction of each other.
''If you know, when the attack occurred, many people jumped up and began to help the wounded policeman. These heroic actions of people is the hottest topic for discussion. London has been surprised and rallied around such manifestations of humanity. In general, the mood here is quite strange — such a tragedy, and that is understandable, but the union and the human side is like never before. The main thing is that London has become stronger and more united than before,'' said Dmitry Savelov to Realnoe Vremya.
According to Dmitry, there is no panic in the city, the Westminster Bridge is full of tourists, it's not like the locals have come back to normal life but they never stopped it.
''It seems to me that the reaction was not emotional in terms of panic, but more balanced. People think what to do next, how to support each other. The situation is difficult, but it's nice to see people come together,'' says Savelov.
#wearenotafraid and endless gratitude to emergency services
Many people pointed out very quick reaction of the emergency services to the attack. This was stated by Defense Minister of the UK Michael Fallon, as well as by ordinary people. For example, Alina Blackwood took a photo of such ad at the underground station Gunnersbury. The inhabitant of Kazan in the past, she has been living in London for ten years already.
''We remember the victims of yesterday's attack in London and their families, we appreciate the work of emergency services,'' it is written on one of the information booths. The main hashtag of these days is #wearenotafraid.
''I do not see panic, on the contrary, in my opinion, people try to mute the hysteria, because no matter how sorry it was for the victims of this attack, the main objective of the terrorists is to scare people and to strike them together,'' said Alina to Realnoe Vremya.
At an underground station there is a life affirming inscription: ''This is London: Whatever you do to us, we will drink tea, and jolly well carry on.'' People of London reacted even to the attack with characteristic to the British prudence.
It was more scary in Moscow
''Of course, we are very sorry for the victims, and, indeed, the services have responded with lightning speed, but how can you stop a person because each of us has a ''weapon'' — a regular passenger car or a usual kitchen knife. I'm sure that if the same event had occurred in another area of London, it would not have received such international publicity, says the interviewee of Realnoe Vremya.
Every tragedy is terrible, but the Russians, unfortunately, have something to compare with, and as blasphemous as it may sound, but the attack has not caused such a strong shock.
''When I saw on TV about the Parliament, I immediately texted to my husband – he works in the centre. But I was not really worried for him. I don't know why but this terrorist attack has not had such an effect on me as the previous ones did. Perhaps, because it was low key, not a group of people, but just some lunatic. Until today's morning I haven't believed that it really was a terrorist, not some psycho. To be honest, when I was living in Moscow, I remember terrible bombs in the subway, the capture of Nord-Ost and the explosion in Domodedovo, I was much more frightened,'' admitted Alina Blackwood.
Trace of ISIS
The attack in London is compared to the attacks in Nice and Berlin, where the main weapon was a vehicle aimed at crowd of people as well. The English also remember other tragedy that took more lives. In 2005, in London there was a series of attacks performed by suicide bombers. At rush hour there were blown up three underground trains and one bus. Then more than 50 people were killed, more than 700 were injured. The investigation found that the attacks were prepared and carried out by radical Islamists. The responsibility for the current attack has been claimed by ISIS (a terrorist organization banned in Russia).