The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Mohammed Mahmoud was among men who flagged down police van to ensure mosque attack suspect was not seriously harmed In the chaos and terror of the moment, events might have taken an even darker turn. Outside the Muslim Welfare Centre, three men wrestled to the ground the driver of a van which had ploughed into people leaving the mosque. Amid confusion, distress and anger, a crowd gathered. Fists and feet struck out. Suddenly a voice shouted: “No one touch him – no one! No one!”. It came from Mohammed Mahmoud, the mosque’s imam, later hailed as the hero of the day. He urged the crowd to be calm and restrained until the police arrived. [Read more].

• Harriet Sherwood, Damien Gayle and Alice Ross, “Hero” imam praises group that saved Finsbury Park suspect from angry crowd, The Guardian, June 19, 2017

A vigil – where a large crowd has gathered – is being held outside the Finsbury Park Mosque – around the corner from the scene of last night’s attack. Photo: Julia Rampen‏ (@JuliaRampenMM).