Las Vegas Review-Journal

Amess’ murder stirs extremism fears

U.K. lawmaker seen as both passionate, gentle

- By Jill Lawless

LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson led a somber British Parliament on Monday in honoring the Conservati­ve lawmaker stabbed to death as he met constituen­ts at a church hall, an attack that has raised questions about how the country protects it politician­s and grapples with extremism at home.

The tributes from shaken and grieving colleagues came as detectives tried to determine whether David Amess was targeted simply because he was a legislator, or for more individual reasons. A 25-yearold British man with Somali heritage, Ali Harbi Ali, was arrested at the scene and is being held under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of murder. Police say the suspect may have had a “motivation linked to Islamist extremism.”

The prime minister told lawmakers that “this House has lost a steadfast servant.”

“Sir David was taken from us in a contemptib­le act of violence, striking at the core of what it is to be a member of this House and violating the sanctity both of the church in which he was killed and the constituen­cy surgery that is so essential to our representa­tive democracy,” Johnson said, referring to the open meetings British lawmakers hold with those they represent.

The death of the popular legislator — who had served in Parliament for almost 40 years and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015 — has shocked Britain, especially its politician­s. It came five years after Labour Party lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death by a far-right extremist. Cox was the first British lawmaker to be killed since a peace accord ended large-scale Northern Ireland violence almost 30 years earlier.

The House of Commons returned Monday from a three-week break for a session that opened with a prayer from the Speaker’s chaplain, Tricia Hillas, and a minute of silence. Then lawmakers from all parties stood and recalled Amess fondly as a hard-working legislator who never sought high office but, as Johnson put it, “simply wanted to serve the people of Essex,” his home county.

Amess, 69, was a social conservati­ve who opposed abortion, campaigned for animal rights and strongly supported Britain’s exit from the European Union.

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, who often differed with Amess politicall­y, said the late lawmaker held his beliefs “passionate­ly but gently,” and his life was a reminder that “civility matters.”

After the tributes, lawmakers crossed the street from Parliament to the medieval St. Margaret’s Church, for a memorial service that included prayers for those who “feel vulnerable in public service.”

 ?? Matt Dunham The Associated Press ?? An image of late British Member of Parliament David Amess is displayed Monday opposite the Houses of Parliament in London.
Matt Dunham The Associated Press An image of late British Member of Parliament David Amess is displayed Monday opposite the Houses of Parliament in London.

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