# Bringing a narwhal to a knife fight - London "terrorist" attack **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 2, 2019, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267 "2019-12-02T11:39:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/1 "2019-12-02T11:39:30Z")
I haven’t seen a thread about this yet, much to my surprise, but in case you missed it, here is the Wikipedia summary (because I’m too lazy to do my own recap): > [@](#): > > On 29 November 2019, a man on licence from jail, where he had been held for terrorist offences, stabbed five people in Central London, killing two. > > The attacker was attending an offender rehabilitation conference in Fishmongers’ Hall when he threatened to detonate what turned out to be a fake suicide vest and started attacking people with two knives taped to his wrists, killing two of the conference participants. Several attendees fought back, some attacking Khan with a fire extinguisher and a narwhal tusk as he fled the building, emerging on London Bridge where he was partially disarmed by a plain-clothes police officer. He was restrained by members of the public until additional police officers arrived, pulled away those restraining him, and shot him dead. I’m guessing several of you did the same doubletake I did. Yes, that’s right - a [narwhal tusk](https://www.dw.com/en/london-bridge-attack-poland-honors-narwhal-tusk-wielding-hero/a-51488351). Despite being stabbed three times, a Polish chef at Fishmongers’ Hall pulled a five-foot narwhal tusk off the wall (which was there for decoration) and chased the attacker, pushing him away with it to keep him away from anyone while another bystander sprayed the attacker with a fire extinguisher to disorient him. While crazy extremists remain a blight on civilised society and I can only express condolences to the families of the two people who died from their stab wounds (and the three others, including Lucasz the chef, who were wounded), one has to marvel at the sheer grit of the general public in this country who up with this sort of shit will not put. Defeating a terrorist with a narwhal tusk is frankly the best thing I’ve seen since the attempted 2007 attack on Glasgow airport, where despite the would-be terrorist driving a jeep filled with flammable gas cylinders and, more importantly, despite the terrorist being **literally on fire** , a baggage handler saw fit to [run up to him anyway and kick him in the groin so hard he tore a tendon in his foot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Smeaton_(born_1976)). Because that’s how they roll in Glasgow. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/2 "2019-12-02T11:47:56Z")
The tusks certainly look lethal. [https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/amp/researchers-find-purpose-narwhals-tusk](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/amp/researchers-find-purpose-narwhals-tusk) Good choice for a weapon grabbed off a wall. I admire the grit that these people showed against the terrorist. It certainly helped save lives. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/3 "2019-12-02T11:50:13Z")
There’s a good picture [here](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/12/02/narwhal-tusk-london-bridge-attack/) of the combined tusk and fire extinguisher defense, which ought to be visible above the paywall line. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/4 "2019-12-02T12:03:40Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Defeating a terrorist with a narwhal tusk is frankly the best thing I’ve seen since the attempted 2007 attack on Glasgow airport, where despite the would-be terrorist driving a jeep filled with flammable gas cylinders and, more importantly, despite the terrorist being **literally on fire** , a baggage handler saw fit to [run up to him anyway and kick him in the groin so hard he tore a tendon in his foot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Smeaton_(born_1976)). Because that’s how they roll in Glasgow. I followed your link and saw this bit: > [@Wikipedia](#): > > On 18 December 2007, it was announced that Smeaton was to be awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for his actions; The idea of the Queen awarding a medal for kicking someone in the balls made me laugh. The quotes from Smeaton’s TV interviews are priceless as well. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/5 "2019-12-02T12:10:53Z")
The guy who kicked the burning terrorist in the nuts was a taxi driver called Alex McIlveen. Smeaton usually gets the credit though. > **[Jeremy Clarkson hails Scot hero on The Grand Tour for booting terrorist's balls](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/jeremy-clarkson-hails-glasgow-airport-9662053)** > > Cabbie Alex McIlveen made the front page of the Daily Record after kicking burning terrorist so hard he broke a tendon in his foot. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/6 "2019-12-02T12:42:38Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The guy who kicked the burning terrorist in the nuts was a taxi driver called Alex McIlveen. Smeaton usually gets the credit though. > > [https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/jeremy-clarkson-hails-glasgow-airport-9662053](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/jeremy-clarkson-hails-glasgow-airport-9662053) I stand corrected. As indeed did the person who injured their foot kicking a burning terrorist in the groin. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/7 "2019-12-02T14:26:37Z")
I watched the news clip of the battle of improvised weapons against the London terrorist. I cheered every single time! The fire extinguisher was brilliant. It had the added feature that the extinguisher itself could be used to bonk the attacker over the head. But the narwhal tusk! The creativity, the cachet! Perhaps people will be curious enough to research narwhals, and discover this “unicorn whale.” Hooray for Londoners for fighting back! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/8 "2019-12-02T15:17:41Z")
The Scots were legendary fighters. The Scottish units in WWII were very respected. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/9 "2019-12-02T15:29:07Z")
I’m wondering about the end of the confrontation. They had him restrained and disarmed, they had multiple officers on the scene, and then they shot him? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/10 "2019-12-02T15:31:40Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m wondering about the end of the confrontation. They had him restrained and disarmed, they had multiple officers on the scene, and then they shot him? My question, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/11 "2019-12-02T15:43:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m wondering about the end of the confrontation. They had him restrained and disarmed, they had multiple officers on the scene, and then they shot him? Yes, It was reported that he had a fake explosive vest on. I’m pretty squeamish about shooting rather than capturing alive, even when he had already killed but in those circumstances I think the risks are too great to allow him enough time to trigger it. The fact that it turned out to fake is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/12 "2019-12-02T15:43:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m wondering about the end of the confrontation. They had him restrained and disarmed, they had multiple officers on the scene, and then they shot him? One of the intervening civilians said in an interview that the perp had one knife basically duct-taped to his hand, and I don’t know when that was taken away from him (before or after being shot). There was also the fake bomb vest the perp was wearing. I’m not sure when they discovered it was fake (probably after the cops shot him). Bottom line, it’s not clear that they disarmed him before shooting him. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/13 "2019-12-02T15:51:08Z")
He had a knife taped to at least one hand. Was the taped knife gone before they shot him? The way I read it, they had gotten the un-taped knife away but someone was just restraining the taped knife arm. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/14 "2019-12-02T16:03:19Z")
I believe it’s standard protocol where there is a bomb vest involved - there’s no guarantee it’s fake without close inspection, and the risks of close inspection (to both public and police) are too great. It’s a horrible necessity as things currently stand. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/15 "2019-12-02T16:12:37Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > the person who injured their foot kicking a burning terrorist in the groin. …must’ve created one hell of a headache for the poor health care worker who had to code their injury under ICD-10 guidelines. :smack: I’m sort of confused why the OP felt the need to put the word terrorist in “scare quotes” but the narwhal tusk makes for an extra feel-good story. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/16 "2019-12-02T16:14:41Z")
That does make it more reasonable, and I certainly don’t expect them to determine that it was fake in the heat of the moment. But even if it were a real bomb, they don’t know how it’s triggered. I’d be worried about a deadman’s switch. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/17 "2019-12-02T16:43:00Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I’m sort of confused why the OP felt the need to put the word terrorist in “scare quotes” but the narwhal tusk makes for an extra feel-good story. 🙂 Because he had a fake vest, mostly. I mean, you can still carry out a terrorist attack with knives but it’s rather pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/18 "2019-12-02T16:58:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > That does make it more reasonable, and I certainly don’t expect them to determine that it was fake in the heat of the moment. But even if it were a real bomb, they don’t know how it’s triggered. I’d be worried about a deadman’s switch. I think the calculation goes along the lines of… -if it is a deadman switch and we shoot him we are fucked -if it is a deadman switch and we don’t shoot him we are fucked -if it is a manual trigger and we don’t shoot him we are fucked -if it is a manual trigger and we shoot him we may not be fucked The only real chance to not be fucked (assuming a real vest and a real intention to use it) involves shooting the terrorist. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/19 "2019-12-02T18:46:38Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > One of the intervening civilians said in an interview that the perp had one knife basically duct-taped to his hand, and I don’t know when that was taken away from him (before or after being shot). > > There was also the fake bomb vest the perp was wearing. I’m not sure when they discovered it was fake (probably after the cops shot him). > > Bottom line, it’s not clear that they disarmed him before shooting him. It was also reported that he pulled back his jacket to show the bomb vest, indicating, I suppose, that he was neither subdued nor compliant. Under those circumstances I can understand why he was shot. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267/20 "2019-12-02T22:40:29Z")
FYI the tusk is technically a tooth ([Narwhal - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narwhal#Tusk)). Definitely a “cool” improvised weapon Brian [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-a-narwhal-to-a-knife-fight-london-terrorist-attack/844267.md?page=2)