• Campus , Student

´Sense of disbelief and anger´

Mark van Dijk, Masters' student Chemical and Process Technology, has written earlier about his experiences in London. He wrote another article, bacause of the recent attacks in London. Mark: "Luckily I was north of the Thames at the time of the attack, so I received the news upon arrival at home. Nevertheless, the attack feels rather close, since I have been at the same place at the same time only two days before the attack."

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Last Saturday Night, the night of the Champions League final, a series of terrible events took place in my temporary place of residence, London. Around the last whistle of the game, a small van drove into pedestrians at London Bridge. After that, the three terrorists attacked the crowd, which included tourists, football fans, pub visitors and youngsters, with knifes.

Luckily I was north of the Thames at the time of the attack, so I received the news upon arrival at home. Nevertheless, the attack feels rather close, since I have been at the same place at the same time only two days before the attack. But, like many Londoners, there is more a sense of disbelief and anger than there is of fear, since the goal of the terrorists is to strike fear. This victory will not be granted to them, even if it’s the third attack in a short time period in The UK. Or, as the Mayor of London stated: “We will never let them win, nor will we allow them to cower our city or Londoners.”

This became more clear the day after the attack. Every tube station had a message of love and respect displayed alongside the message of the London Bridge Station closure and at several events there was a minute of silence to give respect to the victims. Respect, which will never be given to the terrorists, since even not a single imam wants to perform the funeral prayers for them.

The resilience of the Londoners was illustrated by an image of a man that went viral. Because even though he was in the attacked area, he refused to leave his beloved pint behind. Combine this with a tweet from the US President, who attacked the beloved Mayor unfairly instead of showing him his support, and London seems to have moved on. Even though this barbaric act will never be forgotten.

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