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Bravery of PC Keith Palmer honoured by friends, colleagues and MPs Bravery of PC Keith Palmer honoured by friends, colleagues and MPs
(35 minutes later)
The bravery of murdered PC Keith Palmer was hailed by colleagues, friends and the many MPs whom he was charged with protecting. Friends, colleagues and MPs have paid tribute to Keith Palmer, the policeman who was stabbed to death as he guarded the Palace of Westminster from a terrorist.
“Heartbroken” former army comrade James Cleverly, a Conservative MP, paid tribute to the “lovely man” he had known for a quarter of a century. Palmer, 48, was a member of the Met’s parliamentary and diplomatic protection command with 15 years of service as a police officer. The married father, believed to have been a member of the Royal Artillery before he joined the police, was unarmed when the lone attacker came charging towards him on Wednesday afternoon.
He wrote of the 48-year-old father and husband: “I’ve known Keith for 25 years. We served together in the Royal Artillery before he became a copper. Conservative MP James Cleverly, who served alongside Palmer in the army, paid tribute to the “lovely man” he had known for a quarter of a century.
“A lovely man, a friend. I’m heartbroken. My thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of PC Keith Palmer. A brave man.” “I’ve known Keith for 25 years. We served together in the Royal Artillery before he became a copper,” Cleverly wrote. “A lovely man, a friend. I’m heartbroken. My thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of PC Keith Palmer. A brave man.”
PC Keith Palmer. Our brave Met #Police colleague who today made the ultimate sacrifice #LestWeForget pic.twitter.com/i5L4dQSNuC Three people were killed and 29 others were hospitalised after the terrorist indiscriminately drove a Hyundai 4x4 into people on Westminster Bridge before trying to storm parliament.
Scotland Yard’s top anti-terrorism officer, Mark Rowley, said of his officer: “He was someone who left for work today expecting to return home at the end of his shift – and he had every right to expect that would happen.” The vehicle sped up towards the Palace of Westminster, careered off the road on to the pavement and came to a halt against railings to the north of New Palace Yard, metres away from Big Ben and opposite an entrance to Westminster tube station. The attacker then tried to storm parliament with a knife, and Palmer, who was guarding the palace, was fatally stabbed. Moments afterwards, the attacker, dressed in black, was shot by another armed officer and died of his injuries.
Greater Manchester police chief constable Ian Hopkins added: “#RIP PC Keith Palmer, brutally murdered today carrying out his duty helping to protect Parliament and the freedom of our Country.” The Met’s head of counter-terrorism, Mark Rowley, said the motivation of the attacker was assumed to be “Islamist related” and he had tried to enter parliament but had been stopped. Rowley said Palmer “was someone who left for work expecting to return home at the end of his shift, and he had every right to expect that would happen.”
#RIP PC Keith Palmer, brutally murdered today carrying out his duty helping to protect Parliament and the freedom of our Country. Explaining why Palmer was unarmed, Rowley said: “Our parliamentary protection team are a combination of armed and unarmed officers doing different roles, and sadly the officer who lost his life today was unarmed. He was supported by armed colleagues, who shot and killed the attacker.”
The Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents officers in the force, tweeted: “PC Keith Palmer. Our brave Met #Police colleague who today made the ultimate sacrifice #LestWeForget” Ken Marsh, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: “This incident sadly shows the dangers our colleagues face on a daily basis. They show incredible bravery protecting the public.”
PC Keith Palmer. Our brave Met #Police colleague who today made the ultimate sacrifice #LestWeForget pic.twitter.com/i5L4dQSNuC On Thursday, a woman who said she was a former colleague of Palmer’s, who gave her name as Nina, relayed the story of how he had once rescued her in a car accident. “I did know him very well, he saved my life in fact,” she told LBC. “So I just wanted to ring up to let everyone know what a wonderful man he was.
A chorus of thanks also came from politicians on all sides of the House of Commons. Home affairs select committee chair Yvette Cooper, who was in parliament when the terrorist attacked, said: “Thank you PC Keith Palmer – to your bravery many others owe their lives and safety.” “He actually did save my life in a car accident on duty when I was a police officer in 2007.… I owe him everything.
Thank you PC Keith Palmer - to your bravery many others owe their lives and safety https://t.co/gTMLdsqN34 “He was a wonderful dad and a wonderful husband to his wife. He was fun, he was a laugh, he cared. I know everyone, when someone passes, why do they always say he was such a lovely person, but he actually really was. And he cared about what he was doing, he actually cared about his job.”
Labour MP Barry Gardiner was also caught up in the lockdown and posted a picture of armed police moving through parliament. Politicians from all sides of the House of Commons also hailed the bravery of the man who died protecting them. The home affairs select committee chair, Yvette Cooper, who was in parliament when the terrorist attacked, said: “Thank you PC Keith Palmer – to your bravery many others owe their lives and safety.”
He tweeted: “Going to bed alive, safe and well thanks to Pc Keith Palmer. God bless him, his family and all those killed or injured. Terror will not win.” Labour MP Barry Gardiner, who was caught up in the lockdown and posted a picture of armed police moving through parliament, tweeted: “Going to bed alive, safe and well thanks to PC Keith Palmer. God bless him, his family and all those killed or injured. Terror will not win.”
Conservative MP Geoffrey Cox wrote: “Deeply sad that a brave Pc, Keith Palmer, died in the service of his country, doing his duty today. We should be proud to know such men.” Conservative MP Geoffrey Cox wrote: “Deeply sad that a brave PC, Keith Palmer, died in the service of his country, doing his duty today. We should be proud to know such men.”
MP Chi Onwurah tweeted: “As I left Parliament a police officer apologised for keeping us waiting. Cannot overstate courage & grace of those who protect us Thank you.” MP Chi Onwurah tweeted: “As I left parliament a police officer apologised for keeping us waiting. Cannot overstate courage & grace of those who protect us. Thank you.”
The two members of the public who died include a man in his mid-50s and a woman in her 40s, according to the Met. Of the 29 people being treated in hospital, seven are in a critical condition. Many more are believed to be walking wounded.