British MP Jo Coxis in critical condition after being shot and stabbed by an unnamed assailant. A 52-year-old man was arrested. Details at this point are limited. Shootings are incredibly rare in the UK so this is particularly shocking.
One witness is claiming the assailant shouted “Britain First!” during the attack but it’s too early to corroborate this. That said, Britain First is the name of a far-right anti-immigrant party (which seems to be peopled entirely by angry white men) and Cox was the chair of the All Party Parliamentary “Friends of Syria” Group (which discusses issues pertaining to the Syrian civil war and refugee crisis), so it wouldn’t be surprising.
Regardless of who was responsible, I’m hoping she stabilises soon. Horrible stuff.
This in the midst of a campaign which has seen some leading lights go out of their way to encourage fear and hatred of non-natives. It’s too early to say for sure, but the implications are sickening.
From the BBC, witnesses say it looked “homemade” or “old fashioned”, though he reportedly got three shots off, a witness made a sketch which looks like some kind of flintlock pistol.
Witnesses report him shouting “Britain First”, from the Guardian link;
*Graeme Howard, 38, who lives in nearby Bond Street, told the Guardian he heard the man shout “Britain first” before the shooting and during the arrest.
“I heard the shot and I ran outside and saw some ladies from the cafe running out with towels,” he said. “There was loads of screaming and shouting and the police officers showed up.
“He was shouting ‘Britain first’ when he was doing it and being arrested. He was pinned down by two police officers and she was taken away in an ambulance.”*
There’s a right wing political organisation with that name which has renounced the attack; *
Jayda Fransen, deputy leader of Britain First, said the party was “looking into the reports right now”.
“We were extremely shocked to see these reports and we are keen to confirm them, because of course at the moment it is hearsay,” she said. “This has just been bought to our attention. This is absolutely not the kind of behaviour we would condone.”*
The Britain first thing has since been retracted, as well as its unconfirmed if she was the target, or an innocent bystander who intervened in something.
