The bravery of the women caught up in the terrible events in Woolwich yesterday is inspiring.

[Twogoodreasons]

From the cub leader confronting a suspect, to the woman who pushed passed the attackers to pray over the body of the dying soldier, to the police woman who took the unenviable and brave decision to shoot the suspects. One positive observation from very troubling events.

[Pootles2010]

Agreed. Can always take hope in these situations that the good people outweigh the bad.

[pinkteddy]

Agree totally. I was amazed by the interview in the Guardian with Ingrid Loyau-Kennett. What a brave lady. here

[Mitchy1nge]

yes

[gazzalw]

She deserves some sort of award/commendation. Baden-Powell would have been proud of such plucky spirit from one of his own...

Her actions restore one's faith in human nature....

[Twogoodreasons]

Thanks for the link pinkteddy - I love the fact that the only thing that got to her was the fact that the bus dropped her off at the wrong stop! So very brave.

[StealthOfficialCrispTester]

Wow. They really are brave. You get the impression from that interview in the Guardian that the woman hasn't yet realised the magnitude of it all don't you?

[tabulahrasa]

I was just about to say about the bus stopping, lol.

Checking the pulse of a dead/dying man, talking to murderers - fine, the bus not going to the right stop? Not on. Lol

[StealthOfficialCrispTester]

I had tears in my eyes when reading "do you want to give me what's in your hand?"
Would you want to be standing with the knife in your hand when the Police turn up? Yet she was obviously willing to do anything to stop anyone else getting hurt

[SPsCliffingAllOverMN]

I hope she isn't alone when the shock kicks in and the enormity of what she did dawns on her. Brave women.

[Mitchy1nge]

argh thread is making me cry a lot

[StealthOfficialCrispTester]

Exactly sps. I suspect shes in for a few disturbed nights

[SPsCliffingAllOverMN]

And I hope the women who sheltered the mams body brought a tiny bit of comfort to the mans family. He wasn't alone and I hope he knew that.

[Twogoodreasons]

I imagine she is the type of person who has a great network of friends and family around her.

I hope this becomes the focus of the analysis following this tragedy. This, along with thoughts for the victim and his family, rather than any knee-jerk anti-Muslim or generally racist rhetoric.

[ihatethecold]

Wow. Brave lady.

[Smartieaddict]

I agree completely OP. Well done for starting this thread. Hopefully it will help people focus on the fact that the vast majority of people are good, and in some cases can do amazing things.

These men wanted to start a war. The last thing they should get is what they want. Hopefully this will have the opposite effect and people will pull together to stop this kind of thing happening again!

[HeySoulSister]

did a female police officer shoot both the men? have not seen that

[Twogoodreasons]

That is what was initially reported by eyewitnesses. I imagine nothing will be officially confirmed.

[bkgirl]

I totally agree. Their courage was immense and no doubt contributed to no-one else getting hurt.

[GoodbyePorkPie]

What Ingrid Loyau-Kennet did was extraordinary. I was open mouthed reading that interview.

As Anne Frank said: "Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart."

[donnie]

I was open mouthed too when I read the interview in the Guardian, and as little bit teary eyed. What am amazing woman. The ability to be completely calm and to treat those killers in the way she did. Quite extraordinary.
And the two women who sheltered the poor soldier's body and gave him some dignity as he lay dying. In the weeks and days to come that will mean so, so much to his friends and family. Good for them.

[StealthOfficialCrispTester]

I've just watched the video. While he's mid rant there is a woman who just walks past him as if he's just another guy on the street. At this point was it not clear that something big was taking place? Were people still going about their normal business?

[Quangle]

Amazing. I must say had I been there I would have run very fast in the other direction. I thought the same watching the footage of the Boston bombing. There was an aerial shot and when the bomb went off, almost everyone ran in the direction of the bomb - to see if they could help. I know I would have run the other way.

My friend says this is just a legacy of growing up in London with bombs going off - he was standing outside the World Trade Centre when the first planes hit and lots of people were standing staring and wondering what the hell was going on and he just instantly got it and legged it.

But this London incident suggests that there are people who are willing to walk right into danger. I take my hat off to them.

[secretscwirrels]

I just went to pick up my newspaper and I am beyond fuming with the British press. Photographs on the front pages of the perpetrators covered in blood and wielding an axe.
No one needs to see that. That poor boy's mother.

[lemonmuffin]

I know secretscwirrells. That poor woman, I weep for her.

[Lemonies]

That poor families worst nightmare will be available to watch online forever.
I hope they manage to get some comfort from the support and outrage people have put out too.
The brave women are heroes as is Lee Rigsby.
My heart breaks for him and his family.
R.I.P.