Doctors reject Trump’s comments on London crime

LONDON — Some British doctors and legislators reacted angrily Saturday to President Donald Trump’s pro-gun comments at an NRA convention comparing a London hospital to a war zone because of knife crime.

Trump’s comments are expected to increase concerns about his planned first presidential visit to Britain on July 13.

Dr. Martin Griffiths, a surgeon at the Royal London Hospital, tweeted that he would be “happy to invite Mr. Trump” to visit his hospital and meet with London’s mayor and police chief to learn how the city has reduced violent crime.

Dr. Karim Brohi, another Royal London surgeon, said Trump’s position makes no sense.

“There is more we can all do to combat this violence, but to suggest guns are part of the solution is ridiculous,” Brohi tweeted. “Gunshot wounds are at least twice as lethal as knife injuries and more difficult to repair.”

At the NRA convention Friday in Dallas, Trump said Britain has tough gun laws but that one London hospital is awash with blood because of knife wounds.

“They don’t have guns. They have knives and instead there’s blood all over the floors of this hospital,” Trump said. “They say it’s as bad as a military war zone hospital … knives, knives, knives.”

Also Saturday, a French official rejected Trump’s argument that if Parisians had more guns they could have stopped the deadly 2015 extremist attacks on the French capital.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian expressed his “firm disapproval” of Trump’s remarks and defended France’s gun controls.

In a statement, Le Drian said gun violence statistics “do not lead us to reconsider France’s choice on this issue.” Gun violence death rates are higher in the United States.