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| London Bridge survivor: 'I saw things I will never unsee' | London Bridge survivor: 'I saw things I will never unsee' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| An American academic has given a graphic account of the moment the London Bridge stabbing attack began, saying it "felt like a warzone". | An American academic has given a graphic account of the moment the London Bridge stabbing attack began, saying it "felt like a warzone". |
| Bryonn Bain told the BBC that victim Jack Merritt was the first person to confront Usman Khan when he launched his knife assault during a prisoner rehabilitation conference on Friday. | Bryonn Bain told the BBC that victim Jack Merritt was the first person to confront Usman Khan when he launched his knife assault during a prisoner rehabilitation conference on Friday. |
| "I saw people die, I saw things that I will never be able to unsee," he said. | "I saw people die, I saw things that I will never be able to unsee," he said. |
| Vigils have taken place for Mr Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23. | Vigils have taken place for Mr Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23. |
| Prof Bain said former offenders attending the University of Cambridge-linked conference "stepped up and intervened" to tackle Khan, and people at Fishmongers' Hall owed their lives to the actions of those who had previously spent time in jail. | Prof Bain said former offenders attending the University of Cambridge-linked conference "stepped up and intervened" to tackle Khan, and people at Fishmongers' Hall owed their lives to the actions of those who had previously spent time in jail. |
| He said two men from his workshop immediately ran towards shouts from elsewhere in Fishmongers' Hall in the City of London as the attack began, and as shouts grew louder he also went to assist. | He said two men from his workshop immediately ran towards shouts from elsewhere in Fishmongers' Hall in the City of London as the attack began, and as shouts grew louder he also went to assist. |
| "That's when I ran down and saw the scene unfolding there," he said. "I was able to see the attacker." | "That's when I ran down and saw the scene unfolding there," he said. "I was able to see the attacker." |
| He added: "It felt like a warzone... it felt like total chaos." | He added: "It felt like a warzone... it felt like total chaos." |
| Prof Bain said course co-ordinator Mr Merritt was "the first line of defence". | Prof Bain said course co-ordinator Mr Merritt was "the first line of defence". |
| "I want to honour him," Prof Bain said of Mr Merritt. "I want to honour his father's wishes which have been explicit to not have his life be used for political purposes to ramp up draconian policies, because that's not what he was about." | "I want to honour him," Prof Bain said of Mr Merritt. "I want to honour his father's wishes which have been explicit to not have his life be used for political purposes to ramp up draconian policies, because that's not what he was about." |
| Mr Merritt's father criticised newspaper coverage of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's pledge to review the early release of convicted terrorists. | Mr Merritt's father criticised newspaper coverage of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's pledge to review the early release of convicted terrorists. |
| Writing in the Guardian, David Merritt says his son "would be seething at his death, and his life, being used to perpetuate an agenda of hate that he gave his everything fighting against". | |
| The article calls for a justice system that focuses on rehabilitation, rather than revenge, and criticises indeterminate sentences, saying his son worked for "a world where we do not lock up and throw away the key". | |
| Prof Bain added: "I want to make sure that as much as possible that we uphold the heroes of the day, were formerly incarcerated people, some of the folks who are often easiest to dehumanise. | Prof Bain added: "I want to make sure that as much as possible that we uphold the heroes of the day, were formerly incarcerated people, some of the folks who are often easiest to dehumanise. |
| "They stepped up and many of the folks in that space would not be here today if it weren't for these guys who did time in prison and literally saved lives." | "They stepped up and many of the folks in that space would not be here today if it weren't for these guys who did time in prison and literally saved lives." |
| In other developments on Monday: | In other developments on Monday: |
| Vigils for the victims of the attack were also held in Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University, where Ms Jones had previously attended. | |
| Mr Merritt and Ms Jones both studied for masters degrees at the University of Cambridge's institute of criminology and had been taking part in an event for its Learning Together programme - which focuses on education within the criminal justice system - when they were killed. | |
| Mr Merritt, from Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, was a co-ordinator of the Learning Together programme and Ms Jones, from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, a volunteer | Mr Merritt, from Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, was a co-ordinator of the Learning Together programme and Ms Jones, from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, a volunteer |
| The victims' families paid tribute to their loved ones at the weekend. | The victims' families paid tribute to their loved ones at the weekend. |
| Ms Jones's family said their daughter had a "great passion" for supporting victims of criminal justice. | Ms Jones's family said their daughter had a "great passion" for supporting victims of criminal justice. |
| In a statement, Mr Merritt's family described him as a "talented boy" who "died doing what he loved". | In a statement, Mr Merritt's family described him as a "talented boy" who "died doing what he loved". |