President Trump Pushes For Travel Ban Following London Terror Attack

Hours after the terror attacks in London where multiple people were killed in a series of coordinated attacks, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated the need for an effective travel ban which in his opinion would help prevent acts of this nature. President Trump also offered all support to the UK in the wake of the attacks, ABC News reports.

As of this writing, the London terror attacks have left several dead and multiple people injured. Authorities are yet to reveal the actual number of fatalities or the number of injured. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks that came just two weeks after another terror attack in Manchester left 22 people dead. However, these attacks have all the hallmarks of a typical ISIS operation. Latest reports say more than 20 people have been admitted to various hospitals across the city for treatment.

The attacks started at around 10 p.m. local time on London Bridge, close to the Borough Market, when a large van reportedly mowed down several pedestrians walking on the bridge. This was followed up by reports of stabbing from the same area. An unspecified number of terrorists reportedly used a large knife to stab pedestrians and anyone who came in their path. The attacks were initially reported as “incidents” before local authorities finally confirmed it as a terror attack nearly two hours later. A third incident was reported from the nearby suburb of Vauxhall. However, police officials later confirmed the events at Vauxhall was unrelated to the terror attack. More than four hours since the attack, media outlets still do not have a clear picture regarding the attack and about the people who were behind it.

Britain’s prime minister rushed to 10 Downing Street minutes after hearing of the attacks and held an emergency meeting to assess the situation before confirming that they were treating the incident as a “potential act of terrorism.”

The London terror attack drew sharp reactions from leaders and people across the globe with everyone unanimously condemning the incident. U.S. President Donald Trump took to Twitter to express his solidarity with the United Kingdom in the hour of crisis and hinted at providing all possible help to them.

Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the U. K., we will be there – WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2017

However, before the aforementioned tweet, President Trump sent out another tweet in which he used the London terror attack as a tool to push for a travel ban which in his opinion will help curb attacks of these nature.

We need to be smart, vigilant and tough. We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2017

The president’s tweet has had mixed reactions from people, with some opposed to his policies severely criticizing the timing of his tweets. Many people accused Trump of pushing forth his agenda in the wake of a terror attack and saw it as a form of disrespect to the people who were killed in the attack. Some others argued that the travel ban simply won’t work because many of the attackers in recent terror attacks were people who were residents of the country and did not come from outside.

“How many of ‘terrorists’ of the last ten years came directly into a country from those on the list and did their deeds without six months of arrival? Less than 10%. Most of the “terrorists” either have been in the country that they attack at least ten years or are decedents of people who came from a country that are not on the ban,” a comment on ABC News read.

Meanwhile, President Trump’s original travel ban proposal is under judicial scrutiny and has been deemed “unconstitutional” by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and blocked by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and a federal judge in Hawaii.

[Featured Image by Matt Dunham/AP Images]