Trump Jr faces backlash over tweet post U.K. Parliament attack

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ANI New York [U.S.A.]
Last Updated : Mar 23 2017 | 6:57 AM IST

Donald Trump Jr is facing criticism for posting a distasteful tweet featuring London Mayor Sadiq Khan hours after a major terror attack on the Houses of Parliament in London, which left four, including a police officer, dead.

When the United Kingdom was reeling under the Parliament attack, U.S. President Trump's eldest son tweeted a link to a 2016 story in the Independent, which had quoted Khan saying "terror attacks were part and parcel of living in a big city" and "I want to be reassured that every single agency and individual involved in protecting our city has the resources and expertise they need to respond in the event that London is attacked."

The tweet invited the ire of many from the U.S. and the U.K., including Wes Streeting, former president of the National Union of Students.

Streeting called Trump Jr a "disgrace."

Khan's aforementioned comment apparently came after a bombing in New York City that injured 29 people in 2016.

Earlier in September, 2016, Trump Jr compared Syrian refugees to poisoned Skittles, prompting widespread backlash.

On Wednesday, four people died, including a police officer, and at least 20 people were injured in an attack outside the Houses of Parliament in London.

Mark Rowley, the head of counter-terrorism at the Met, said the police officer, who was stabbed by a lone attacker attempting to enter the House of Commons, had succumbed to his injury. The suspect was also shot and killed as reported by The Guardian.

Prior to this, at least 20 people, including three officers, were reported hurt when the attacker drove a vehicle into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, near the Parliament.

One woman was believed to have been thrown over the bridge into the river Thames - and later pulled alive from the water - while another fell on to a hard surface below the bridge.

The lockdown of Westminster following the attack came to an end, after several hours.

Around 1000 people, including Parliament workers as well as MPs, were locked down in Westminster Abbey. They were interviewed by the police to see if they had any information that could help the inquiry.

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May described the attack as "sick and depraved."

Sadiq Khan, on his part, responded to the attack by saying that Londoners would "not be cowed by terrorism."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expressed condolence to the victims and their families.

"On behalf of the United States, I express my condolences to the victims and their families. The American people send their thoughts and prayers to the people of the United Kingdom. We condemn these horrific acts of violence, and whether they were carried out by troubled individuals or by terrorists, the victims know no difference," a statement from Tillerson's office said.

President Trump described the incident as "big news" after he was updated on the situation. He is also said to have called British PM Theresa May.

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First Published: Mar 23 2017 | 4:25 AM IST

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