Brendan Cox, widowed husband of late MP Jo Cox, has said that the tragic attacks in Westminster yesterday should be remembered for the acts of heroism and kindness that outshone the barbarity of the lone attacker.

“Yesterday was characterised by one act of extremism and hatred, and thousands of acts of love and kindness,” Cox told the BBC. “That is what our country is about — it is defined by those acts of kindness, not by the twisted and evil acts of individuals.” 

Latest reports suggest that, at time of writing, four people are confirmed dead. According to the Guardian, 29 injured remain in hospital, whilst a further seven are in a critical condition. The British-born attacker is among the dead, as eight arrests have been made around the country. 

Cox emphasised that he did not care for the name of the murderer, and that the most vital memory to hold must be the sacrifice of policeman Keith Palmer, 48, the husband and father who died from stab wounds after engaging the attacker outside the Palace of Westminster. The only other named deceased is Aysha Frade, a Spanish teacher who was killed on Westminster Bridge as she was on her way to pick up her children from school.

Read More: “Terror Attack” In London  - What We Know So Far

“This is a story of the people who didn’t come home yesterday”, Cox said, insisting that it’s the victims, not the assailant, that must be remembered in wake of the tragedy. "I’m going to do whatever I can to remember the names of the victims like PC Palmer, and not the name of the person who did this, partly driven by the desire for notoriety."

In the days before the referendum last year, a white nationalist terrorist shot and stabbed MP and activist Jo Cox in her own constituency. It was 2016’s only recorded UK terrorist attack. Now, Brendan Cox has had to explain once more to his children why yesterday’s incident happened.

“It’s important to be open with them where you can,” he said. “This is a tiny minority of people and we can and we will defeat them… together.”

Cox was also quick to urge people not to jump to blind accusations towards specific religious groups. Hate should not be met with hate — otherwise, terror has already won.

"What the terrorist would like to happen is for us to fall apart and start blaming groups of people, to say that in some way this is Muslim or Islam as a whole," Cox told Radio 4. "We have to remember that the person who did this is no more representative of British Muslims than the person who killed Jo is representative of people that are from Yorkshire."

The Mayor of London has confirmed that a vigil will be held in Trafalgar Square at 6 p.m. today, stating that London “will not be cowed by terrorism”. Life continues as normal in the city, as many have spoken out in solidarity on Twitter using the hashtag #WeAreNotAfraid. The Eiffel Tower may have respectfully turned off its lights, but, here, life continues in defiance. All the while, it’s vital that we take to heart the example of the heroes that yesterday defined what it truly means to be British. They must not be forgotten.

TopicsLondonTerrorismBrendan CoxWestminster Attack

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Britain Defined by Kindness, Not Hate, Says Brendan Cox After Westminster Attack

By James Hitchings-Hales