Young Muslims and police gather on Westminster Bridge to pay tribute to attack victims

The bridge was closed while thousands of people gathered there.

ByABC News
March 29, 2017, 1:05 PM

— LONDON -- Thousands of people gathered in London today to pay tribute to the victims of last week's attack.

Police officers, young Muslims and other Londoners with flowers in their hands walked across Westminster Bridge, where the attack took place exactly one week ago.

More than 500 young people from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in London were part of the ceremony, according to one of the organizers.

“When the attack happened we knew that a lot of people would have questions about whether this is actually what Islam teaches,” Farhad Ahmad, an imam with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, told ABC News.

PHOTO: People hold a banner reading "Love for all, hatred for none" on Westminster Bridge as they attend a vigil to remember the victims of last week's Westminster terrorist attack, March 29, 2017, in London.
People hold a banner reading "Love for all, hatred for none" on Westminster Bridge as they attend a vigil to remember the victims of last week's Westminster terrorist attack, March 29, 2017, in London. Faith Leaders head up a vigil including members of the public and police officers on Westminster Bridge exactly one week after Khalid Masood ploughed a hired car into people crossing Westminster Bridge, killing three. Masood gained entry to the grounds of the Houses of Parliament stabbing PC Keith Palmer to death before he was shot dead by armed police.
PHOTO: Children hold banners as they walk over Westminster Bridge during a vigil to remember the victims of last week's Westminster terrorist attack, March 29, 2017, in London.
Children hold banners as they walk over Westminster Bridge during a vigil to remember the victims of last week's Westminster terrorist attack, March 29, 2017, in London.
PHOTO: Mounted police officers patrol Westminster Bridge near the Houses of Parliament in London, March 29, 2017, before a vigil to commemorate the terror attack that killed four last week.
Mounted police officers patrol Westminster Bridge near the Houses of Parliament in London, March 29, 2017, before a vigil to commemorate the terror attack that killed four last week.

He and other young Muslims on the bridge were wearing shirts that said “I’m a Muslim” on the front and “Ask me anything“ on the back.

“In this moment in time it’s very crucial that the Muslim community comes out and tells people what the true teachings of Islam are as compared to what people think Islam says based on some individuals’ actions," he said. "The Quran says that if you kill one person it’s like killing the whole of humanity. If we can get that true message of Islam across to people it will build bridges and bring communities together.”

On March 22, 52-year-old Khalid Masood, a Muslim convert with a criminal past, crashed his rented car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and later stabbed a police officer. Four people were killed in the attack, including the officer. Masood was shot and killed by police.

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