After the Manchester Terror Attack: What Comes Next?

Freddy Gray

Security, Europe

This has brought security back to the forefront of Britons’ minds.

President Donald Trump has emerged as an unlikely source of comfort for many Brits today. America’s commander in chief is widely regarded here, as everywhere else, as a dangerous fool—yet his response to last night’s terrorist attack at a pop concert in Manchester, in the north of England, has been well received by shocked and saddened Britons. “We stand in absolute solidarity with the people of the United Kingdom,” he said. “So many young beautiful, innocent people living and enjoying their lives murdered by evil losers in life. I won’t call them monsters because they would like that term. They would think that’s a great name. I will call them, from now on, losers, because that’s what they are. They are losers. And we will have more of them. But they are losers, just remember that.”

The strange vapidity of that response struck a chord with the English because we have almost nothing left to say about terrorism: impotently calling terrorists “losers” or “cowards” is just about the only thing that gives us satisfaction. The other we do is channel our inner Churchills and vow “they will never win.” Theresa May did that, rather well, outside 10 Downing Street earlier this morning:

At terrible moments like these it is customary for leaders, politicians and others to condemn the perpetrators and declare that the terrorists will not win. But the fact that we have been here before, and the fact that we need to say this again, does not make it any less true. . . . Today, let us remember those who died and let us celebrate those who helped, safe in the knowledge that the terrorists will never win—and our values, our country and our way of life will always prevail.