London was sent into shock after a “terror attack” left four people dead at the gates of the Houses of Parliament.
The fatalities included the attacker and an armed police officer as well as two others who were killed during a car rampage on Westminster Bridge, which also left at least 20 people hurt, including some with “catastrophic” injuries.
The Parliament complex went into lockdown, with proceedings in both the House of Commons and Lords being halted and politicians and Westminster staff being held on the parliamentary estate.
The official UK Parliament social media account later announced, however, it would be business as normal the following day.
MPs and peers were the first to rally around the message.
Others pointed out how the capital had come under siege before, and dealt with it in a similar manner.
And it resonated across the world.
Speaking on the steps of No 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Theresa May offered a similar rallying call. She said:
“These streets of Westminster – home to the world’s oldest Parliament – are engrained with a spirit of freedom that echoes in some of the furthest corners of the globe.
“And the values our Parliament represents – democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law – command the admiration and respect of free people everywhere.
“That is why it is a target for those who reject those values.
“But let me make it clear today, as I have had cause to do before: any attempt to defeat those values through violence and terror is doomed to failure.
“Tomorrow morning, Parliament will meet as normal. We will come together as normal.
“And Londoners - and others from around the world who have come here to visit this great City - will get up and go about their day as normal.
“They will board their trains, they will leave their hotels, they will walk these streets, they will live their lives.
“And we will all move forward together. Never giving in to terror. And never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart.”
Echoing the sentiment, London mayor Sadiq Khan recorded a message making clear “Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism”. He said:
“I want to reassure all Londoners, and all our visitors, not to be alarmed. Our city remains one of the safest in the world.
“London is the greatest city in the world and we stand together in the face of those who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life.
“We always have and we always will. Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism.”
Many were also sharing the London Underground logo emblazoned with the words: “We are not afraid.”
Underlining the emerging spirit, schoolchildren locked in Parliament broke into singing Easter hymns as they were trapped.
Staff and visitors in grand Central Lobby were serenaded by the group from St John & St Francis Church School in Bridgwater, Somerset.