If that’s so barbaric to these people then two fingers up to them.”
On Saturday night, Richard Angell was just “six metres” away from one of the three men who brutally attacked members of the public on London Bridge and in Borough Market, killing seven people, leaving 21 critically ill and injuring many more.
Richard was out for a meal with friends, sitting at the table nearest to the door in Arabica Bar and Kitchen. Thankfully, he survived the attack and returned to the restaurant on Sunday to pay his bill and leave a tip. He has now become a viral sensation with his defiant response in the face of terrorism.
He told BBC News:
“I’ll be going back to the same restaurant to finish my meal, pay my bill and give then a double tip. They cared about us and our safety.”
Brilliant & defiant interview from someone who was in a restaurant attacked last night here in London. The right response from a tough city. pic.twitter.com/iyZT8V63Vc
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) June 4, 2017
Richard, the director of left-leaning think tank Progress and a campaigner for LGBT rights, also spoke to BuzzFeed News, declaring:
“These people shouldn’t win. This is the best city in the world and Borough Market is one of my favourite bits of the best city in the world. I’m not going to let the barbaric acts of cowardly people minimise that.
“If they have a problem with me having a G&T with friends and flirting and being gay then I’m going to carry on doing it. If that’s so barbaric to these people then two fingers up to them.”
He told the BuzzFeed reporter what he had seen on that horrific night:
“We were sitting in the restaurant at the table nearest the door, which is quite horrifying to think about. Suddenly we were aware of security saying lock the door and duck and cover. People jumped to the floor, knocking over tables. I looked up and saw outside a guy throwing chairs and a table at the restaurant opposite. It was totally unclear what it was but it turned out to be this hero.
“As we tried to bring people upstairs and bring some calm and order, I looked up and saw a guy leaving the Black and Blue restaurant next door, holding his chest and neck, covered in blood. He staggered around. I hope he got some help. By that point we were locked in and we managed to stop people wanting to leave by the fire escape.”
He took the opportunity to praise the emergency services for their quick response and life-saving bravery.
“It felt like they were there almost immediately. They were absolutely brilliant. There were shoes everywhere from women running away fast and there was blood on the street. I noticed a group of paramedics working on this woman face-first on the ground. They have to run to the danger and then turn their back on it while the rest of us run for our lives.”
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