2017 Westminster Attack

Overview

The 2017 Wesminster Attack was a terror attack carried out by 52-year-old United Kingdom resident Khlaid Masood, who drove an automobile into pedestrians and fatally stabbed a police officer at the Palace of Westminster in London, England in late March 2017.

Background

On March 22nd, 2017, Masood drove a grey Hyundai car into several pedestrians and police officers near the Westminster Bridge in London. After exiting the car, Masood fatally stabbed police officer Keith Palmer, leading two plainclothes officers to fatally shoot him. A total of four people were killed in the attack, including two passers-by, one police officer and Masood.

Developments

Online Reaction

ISIS

Followers on several ISIS social media channel celebrated the attack, with many attributing it to retaliation for British airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.^[5][6] That day, an ISIS-run Twitter account claimed responsibility for the attack, tweeting "A soldier for the Islamic State carried out the operation in answer to calls to target the people of coalition states."

We Are Not Afraid

Following the attack, a London Underground logo with the phrase "We Are Not Afraid" written through the center began circulating online (shown below).^[1]

Additionally, United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May addressed Parliament about the attack, echoing the phrase "we are not afraid" (shown below).

Muslim Woman Photograph

That day, Twitter user @SouthLoneStar tweeted a photograph of a woman wearing a head scarf while walking past an injured person, claiming she "pays no mind to the terror" (shown below). Within 24 hours, the tweet gained over 1,800 likes and 1,600 retweets. Meanwhile, a photograph of a man walking past a similar scene from the attack was posted by the @Impeach_D_Trump^[4] Twitter feed, suggesting that the picture of the woman was spreading due to bigotry and Islamophobia (shown below, right).

On 4chan, users began photoshopping the woman into photographs from other tragic events, with many referring to her as "Aloof Muslim" and "Muslim Bitch" (shown below).^[7][8][9] The following day, News.com.au^[2] published an article about the online reaction to the photo.

Search Interest

External References