Britain is dealing with its third militant attack in as many months after three attackers in a van ran down pedestrians on London Bridge, then got out and began stabbing bystanders.
Police shot dead the trio just minutes after the first call to emergency services was made.
Spanish tourist Carolina Mayo, who was staying at a hotel next to the scene of the attack, has described how events unfolded.
"The policemen were there and told us to leave the hotel and not to run but walk very, very fast (along) all the streets until we arrived to a point that I can't remember. And we stayed there for about 10 minutes, and, suddenly, a man came to us and told us that he had a bar and told us, 'You can come with me, stay in my bar, and you'll be warm there,' because people from the hotel were without socks or without shoes, a lot of children and people in pyjamas, you know. I can't describe the feelings."
Another witness, a woman named Rhiannon, says she ran for her life and sheltered in a nearby pub.
"A taxi driver just swerved towards me and screamed at me, saying, 'Run. You have to run. They've got a knife.' And his face was just like ... something was just very wrong. I just started running as fast as I could. There were sirens everywhere, people screaming, the glass was smashed in one shop. And there was a guy, like he was injured. I just started to run. I ran into this pub in Borough Market called Applebee's, and I just screamed into that, 'Everyone, run! They're stabbing people. You've got to run now.'"
London reporter Oliver Jones, who worked with SBS, says it is hard to believe two incidents like this could happen so close together.
But he says locals are refusing to back down.
"There were a lot of people staying nearby who were staying in hotels, who were visiting London. I spoke to somebody who was from the north, and they'd obviously, you know, a week and a half ago, been affected by the attack in Manchester, but, now, to have come to visit London and have another attack, I think they said to me that they were petrified. I took a walk earlier just to clear my head, and I live quite close by to one of our main tourist attractions, Columbia Road Flower Market, and there were still people enjoying that. There were lots of people in the bars, lots of people in restaurants. It really did seem that, actually, Londoners were being defiant and not willing to give in to fear and terror."
Undeterred by the latest attacks, a benefit concert for the victims of last month's bombing of an arena in Manchester has gone ahead.
Singers including Katy Perry, Robbie Williams and Justin Bieber performed, along with Ariana Grande, whose concert was the focus of the attack in which 22 people died.
Ariana Grande performed the Crowded House song Don't Dream It's Over alongside pop star Miley Cyrus.
Despite the recent attacks, many Britons say they are determined to keep living life as they know it.
On social media, many have lampooned headlines in US media outlets saying locals are "reeling" from the latest incident, tweeting about how they are carrying on with life.
Also demonstrating that defiant spirit is Richard Angell, who was at a nearby restaurant when the attack happened.
"I keep saying, if me having a gin and tonic with my friends, flirting with handsome men, hanging out with brilliant women, is what offends these people so much, I'm going to do it more, not less, because that's what makes London so great, that's what makes it the best city in the world, and we're going to go out and enjoy it more, and I'm more determined than ever to love the city that looks after me."
Share
