May hails ‘extraordinary’ actions of attack heroes

THERESA May said worshippers who overpowered the mosque attacker proved “hatred and evil” will never succeed.

She said the van attack on Muslims leaving Ramadan prayers was “every bit as sickening” as terror atrocities in London and Manchester recently.

The PM insisted that the “extraordinary people” who held the driver until police arrived showed terror will never win.

Their actions mirrored the bravery of revellers who pelted three London Bridge terrorists with bottles, glasses, chairs and parts of a market stall in the van and knife rampage that left eight dead.

Atrocities

Mrs May said yesterday’s attack on Muslims in Finsbury Park was “every bit as insidious and destructive to our values and our way of life” as attacks motivated by Islamist extremism.

But she said Britain was “determined never to give in to hate”.

She went on: “This attack targeted the ordinary and the innocent going about their ordinary lives, this time British Muslims as they left a mosque after breaking their fast at this sacred time of year.’’

Mrs May, above, who visited the attack scene, said Londoners had shown their resolve in the face of previous terror atrocities and the Grenfell Tower blaze.

“What we have seen throughout – whether in the heroism of the ordinary citizens who fought off the attackers at London Bridge, the unbreakable resolve of the residents in Kensington, or, this morning, the spirit of the community who apprehended the attacker – is that this is an extraordinary city of extraordinary people,’’ she said.

Mrs May, who chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee, said extra police resources had already been deployed to “reassure communities” and protect mosques.

Tory minister Sajid Javid comforted a crying woman at the attack scene urging her to “stay strong”. He was filmed holding the Muslim mum by the arm as she sobbed and telling her: “We will do everything we can.”

She had told the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government she no longer felt safe.

He replied: “We’re going to try to do everything we can. I’m a Muslim too. I will do everything I can. I give you my word.’’

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, right, looked close to tears as he visited the scene which is in his north London constituency.

He said he was shocked by the “horrific and cruel attack”.

“I offer my condolences to the family and friends of the man who has died, and our thoughts are with the people who have been injured, their family and friends,’’ he said.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the attack was an assault on “all our shared values of tolerance, freedom and respect”.

Brendan Cox, widower of murdered MP Jo, said far right and Islamist terror shared an ideology and both must be defeated.