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British emergency services hailed for professionalism, efficiency

LONDON — Politicians and eyewitnesses have lauded the professionalism of the police and other first responders who handled the attack at Westminster Bridge on Wednesday. Police officers, including armed, plain-clothed ones dressed in sneakers and jeans but equipped with tactical gear, were quick to arrive at the scene. “Police cars just kept coming one after another after another, I’ve never seen such a quick response,” said Mr Bradford Buck, who is from the United States.

LONDON — Politicians and eyewitnesses have lauded the professionalism of the police and other first responders who handled the attack at Westminster Bridge on Wednesday. Police officers, including armed, plain-clothed ones dressed in sneakers and jeans but equipped with tactical gear, were quick to arrive at the scene. “Police cars just kept coming one after another after another, I’ve never seen such a quick response,” said Mr Bradford Buck, who is from the United States.

Mr Andrew Bone, the executive director of an industry standards group, was on a bus when the incident unfolded in front of him.

“We had a front-row seat as the first responders arrived,” he recounted. “I am of the generation who remembers IRA bombs in London during the Troubles,” he said, referring to the sectarian conflict involving the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland. “We are not indifferent, but police have reacted with calm. I saw no panic.”

Conservative Member of Parliament Richard Benyon tweeted that he was “irritated” by reports that parliamentary security was breached. “Attacker was taken down at gate. Highly professional response,” he added.

Mr Benyon was commenting on the fact that while the assailant managed to penetrate the first security cordon at Carriage Gates — the main entry point into Parliament for lawmakers — he was shot dead by police well before he could enter Parliament.

Witnesses also say that the suspect was killed not long after he walked past Carriage Gates. As the incident unfolded, reporters inside Parliament also said a large number of armed police, some carrying shields, poured into the building to secure it.

Bystanders spoke of the swift response of the emergency medical services as well.

Poland’s former foreign affairs minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, said he was in a taxi leaving Westminster when he witnessed the incident. “I heard ambulances within two or three minutes, so the rescue action was really very quick,” he told Poland’s TVN24.

After the attack, US President Donald Trump spoke to British Prime Minister Theresa May by telephone and applauded “the quick response of British police and first responders”, said White House spokesman Sean Spicer.

The British Metropolitan Police Service also kept the general public updated regularly on the incident via social media. The service tweeted a total of 12 times about the attack within the first hour after it occurred.

British security services have been on high alert since the July 7 bombings in London in 2005, and this was why the authorities were able to respond so quickly to Wednesday’s attack and why the casualty toll was so low.

London revealed recently that it has unravelled 13 potential terror plots since June 2013, and counter-terrorism authorities are running more than 500 investigations at any one time. AGENCIES

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