London [U.K.]: In the wake of the ensuing feud between London Mayor Sadiq Khan with United States President Donald Trump, the United States Conference of Mayors has issued a statement offering its suppport to the former.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors, whose membership includes the more that 1,400 U.S. cities with populations of 30,000 or more, said it “stands united” with Khan.
“He has risen above this crisis of death and destruction, as mayors continue to do, to alleviate fear, to bring comfort to his people of London and to give support to the first responders who continue to protect, defend and provide emergency care to his people of London,” the statement said.
“Thank you, Mayor Khan, for your leadership during this crisis,” it added.
Trump, a day before, launched an attack on the London Mayor, while apparently misconstruing a statement made by him post the incident.
Trump had tweeted, “At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is “no reason to be alarmed!”
This was in reference to Khan’s statement that there was no cause for alarm. It’s being touted that he was referring specifically to “a visible increase in police activity on the streets of London in the wake of the attack.”
“Londoners will see an increased police presence today and over the course of the next few days. There’s no reason to be alarmed,” he had said.
Trump’s tweets were criticised by a number of British politicians.
A spokesman for Khan called Trump’s tweet “ill-informed.”
“The Mayor is busy working with the police, emergency services, and the government to coordinate the response to this horrific and cowardly terrorist attack and provide leadership and reassurance to Londoners and visitors to our city,” the spokesman said.
“He has more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump’s ill-informed tweet that deliberately takes out of context his remarks urging Londoners not to be alarmed when they saw more police – including armed officers – on the streets.”
The White House on Monday denied suggestions from U.S. reporters that Trump “picked a fight” with Khan “because he was Muslim”.
“I think that to suggest something like that is utterly ridiculous,” deputy White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters.
Meanwhile, Khan led a vigil of hundreds of Londoners in rememberance of those who died following Saturday night’s terror attack in the capital.
While addressing a multi-cultural audience, Khan said London would never be ‘broken by terrorism’ and that terrorism would be defeated.
“We stand together tonight to honour the memories of the innocent lives lost and people injured in the barbaric attack on our city. London stands in defiance against this cowardly attack and our city and our people and our values and our way of live,” he said.
“As the mayor of London I want to send a clear message to the sick and evil extremists who commit this hideous crimes; we will defeat you. You will not win. And as a proud and patriotic British Muslim I say this: you do not commit these disgusting acts in my name. Your perverse ideology has nothing to do with the true values of Islam and you will never succeed is dividing our city.”
‘We send our love to the victims’ families and all those injures and we thank our courageous emergency services and the brace Londoners who risked their lives. You are the best of us. Our city is filled with great sorrow and anger tonight but also great resolve and determination. Because our unity and love will always be stronger then the hate of the extremists,” he added.
Flanked by Amber Rudd and Diane Abbott, Khan also accused United States President Donald Trump of seeking to divide communities in Britain after he took to the social media to criticise his leadership in the wake of the attack.
“Some people thrive on feud and division. We are not going to let Donald Trump divide our communities,” The Independent quoted Khan, as saying, while he addressed the media at the Tower Bridge last night.
“I just haven’t got time to respond to tweets from Donald Trump. Honestly I’ve got better and more important things to focus on,” he added.
Khan has reportedly also said Trump was wrong about “many things” and that his state visit to the U.K. should not go ahead.
Khan received support from many, including Prime Minister Theresa May.
“I think Sadiq Khan is doing a good job and it’s wrong to say anything else – he’s doing a good job,” she said at a press conference.” (ANI)