Police and public join forces to remember London victims

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Police and public join forces to remember London victims

REUTERS

 

People embrace after laying flowers during an event to mark one week since a man drove his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge then stabbed a police officer in London, Britain March 29, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Hundreds of people joined together on Westminster Bridge on Wednesday to remember the four killed in last week's London attack.

 

A large crowd, which included police, hospital staff and relatives of victims, stretched across the bridge where Khalid Masood drove a car into pedestrians last Wednesday.

 

Masood went on to fatally stab a policeman before being shot dead in the grounds of Britain's parliament.

 

As well as the four dead, more than 35 people were injured in the attack.

 

The crowd included members of the Islamic charity organisation Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, who held up banners reading "Love for all, hatred for none", "Islam means PEACE" and "Islam says NO to terror". There were prayers said by imams and a minute's silence was observed.

 

Organisers said the event would show that people would not be divided by the attack, with many holding hands in a show of unity. Some people dropped flowers into the River Thames, while others wore T-shirts reading: "I AM A MUSLIM. ASK ME ANYTHING".

 

Britain's Prince William also paid tribute to dead policeman Keith Palmer by laying a wreath at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, in the West Midlands, one of several events held around the country to remember the victims of the attack.

 

Earlier, an inquest was opened into the death of those killed at Westminster Coroner's Court.

 

(Writing by Patrick Johnston; Editing by Vin Shahrestani)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-30