Londoners were targeted yet again by an act of terrorism that sought to divide us. Two people were killed, and others injured. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected.
Fear is nothing to be ashamed of, but we must not let the terrorists change our way of life. That is how we make sure they never win. Sadiq Khan was right when he said that the attack showed the worst of society and the best. It is good that questions are being asked as to how a convicted terrorist, who was tagged, was able to carry out his evil intentions, but I want to highlight the public heroes who helped to apprehend the terrorist.
How can we reconcile the xenophobic climate with the fact that one hero was a Polish migrant — or, indeed, that another was a Muslim with the same name as me? This should help dislodge any prejudices.
I think back to 2017 when, at my previous mosque in Finsbury Park, one man was killed and 10 people injured when a van ploughed through the congregants. Later, a white British woman came to apologise on behalf of the “country” and say that what happened was “not in [her] name”. I told her she did not need to apologise as I did not define her or this country by one man’s actions. The same is true for this attacker’s co-religionists.
As a city, we pull together in times of crisis, no matter what our background. I cannot sum up this mentality better than with the words of another hero from Friday’s attack, who was raised on the mantra of “one in, all in”. Together we will stand up against those who threaten our peace.
Mohammed Mahmoud is the senior imam of East London Mosque
