London Bridge attack: Hanson, Trump use terror for political ends
The London deaths were a political opportunity for One Nation's leader. Photo: AAP
Pauline Hanson and Donald Trump have co-opted the latest London terror attacks to call for curbs on immigration.
Barely hours after people were killed and maimed in the attacks, Senator Hanson used UK police advice to people caught up in terrorist incidents to push her message of banning Muslims from immigrating to Australia.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump took to Twitter as events unfolded, offering help to Britain and promoting his travel ban as an extra level of security for Americans.
“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,” he said.
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
British police rushed to two incidents in central London after a van ploughed into pedestrians on London Bridge and reports emerged of multiple stabbings in the nearby Borough Market area. Police said the attacks had been declared terrorist incidents.
“Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the UK, we will be there – WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!” Trump said in one of two tweets.
As the latest terrorist attack in London was still unfolding on Sunday morning (AEST), the One Nation leader tweeted: “Stop Islamic immigration before it is too late.”
Stop Islamic immigration before it is too late. #auspol pic.twitter.com/u9nmVc9MaW
— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) June 4, 2017
Her message was accompanied by a graphic that mimicked a “Run Hide Tell” message the Metropolitan Police tweeted earlier to advise people what to do if they found themselves caught up in the attacks.
The police message urges people to run to a place of safety, hide and turn their phones to silent, and tell the police by calling emergency services when safe to do so.
Senator Hanson’s version says: “Australia is tired of Labor, the Greens and the Liberals RUNNING their campaign that Islam is good for Australia.”
It says Australia won’t hide “the fact that terrorism is related to the Islamic teachings” and that Australians are tired of telling politicians “Islam is incompatible with Australian values”.
“Stop Islamic Immigration before Australia hits 5% like England,” Senator Hanson’s tweeted graphic says.
Senator Hanson has spent the past week in a dispute with Australia’s spy chief over whether there are links between Middle Eastern refugees and terrorism.
ASIO boss Duncan Lewis told Senator Hanson during a parliamentary hearing he had “absolutely no evidence to suggest there is a connection between refugees and terrorism”.
He later said the refugee program was not the source of terrorism in Australia, rather attacks were inspired by an extremist, radicalising strain of Islam.
Senator Hanson campaigned last year on a Muslim immigration ban and no new mosques.
– with ABC, AAP
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