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‘Enough Is Enough.’ Theresa May Makes Call to Action After London Bridge Attack

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Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May has said that the country is experiencing a “new trend” in the terrorism threat after experiencing three fatal attacks in the space of just three months, hinting at a broad crackdown on extremism in the country.

Speaking on Downing Street Sunday morning, May called for a shakeup in counter-extremism and counter-terrorism efforts, suggesting that there would be a review of the current powers and laws in place. “We cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are,” she said, later adding: “Enough is enough.”

On Saturday evening, three assailants struck pedestrians on London Bridge with a van before going on a stabbing spree in nearby Borough Market, armed with knives and long blades. At least 7 people died, and 48 were hospitalized after the attack. The suspects were shot dead by police eight minutes after the initial emergency call.

Scenes From the London Terror Attack

Police Respond To Terror Attacks At London Bridge And Borough Market
Counter-terrorism special forces assemble near the scene of a terrorist attack, by London Bridge, on June 4, 2017.Dan Kitwood—Getty Images
London Again Struck By Terror Attacks
An emergency response helicopter lands on London Bridge, on June 03, 2017.Brais G. Rouco—Barcroft Media/Getty Images
London Again Struck By Terror Attacks
People are seen leaving the scene with their hands up after an incident near London Bridge, on June 3, 2017.Brais G. Rouco—Barcroft Media/Getty Images
Incident on London Bridge, UK - 03 Jun 2017
Armed police are seen near London Bridge after reports of an incident involving a vehicle and pedestrians, on June 3, 2017.Ben Cawthra—REX/Shutterstock
London Again Struck By Terror Attacks
London Bridge station was closed shortly after the attack, on June 3, 2017 in London. Brais G. Rouco—Barcroft Media/Getty Images
Terrorist Attack in London, UK - 03 Jun 2017
A man being treated near London Bridge after reports of an incident involving a vehicle and pedestrians, on June 3, 2017.Ben Cawthra—REX/Shutterstock
TOPSHOT-BRITAIN-ATTACKS-POLITICS
Bystanders, wrapped in emergency blankets leave the scene of a terror attack on London Bridge in central London, on June 3, 2017.Chris J. Ratcliffe—AFP/Getty Images
Aftermath Of The London Bridge Terror Attacks
A police officer moves a floral tribute left by a man near the scene of Saturday's terrorist attack, on June 4, 2017 in London.Christopher Furlong—Getty Images
Aftermath Of The London Bridge Terror Attacks
Police operate a cordon on the North side of London Bridge as forensic officers work after Saturday's terrorist attack, on June 4, 2017 in London.Dan Kitwood—Getty Images
APTOPIX Britain London Bridge Attack
A view of the van used by the three attackers to strike pedestrians on the London Bridge before they went on a stabbing rampage in the nearby Borough Market Saturday evening, on June 4, 2017. Jonathan Brady—AP
BRITAIN-ATTACKS-POLITICS
Prime Minister Theresa May walks out of 10 Downing Street to deliver a statement, on June 4, 2017 in London.Justin Tallis—AFP/Getty Images
Abandoned buses are lined up on London Bridge after an attack left 7 people dead and dozens injured in London
Abandoned buses are lined up on London Bridge after an attack left 7 people dead and dozens injured, on June 4, 2017 in London.Dylan Martinez—Reuters
BRITAIN-ATTACKS
Police forensic officers arrive at a residential property, following a raid, as their investigations continue in east London, on June 5, 2017.Daniel Leal-Olivas—AFP/Getty Images
Aftermath Of The London Bridge Terror Attacks
A woman looks at some of the floral tributes at Monument, near London Bridge, on June 5, 2017.Leon Neal—Getty Images
Commuters travel past City of London police officers standing on London Bridge after is was reopened following an attack which left 7 people dead and dozens of injured in central London
Commuters travel past City of London police officers, standing on London Bridge, after is was reopened in central London, on June 5, 2017.Peter Nicholls—Reuters

The attack came less than two weeks after a suicide bomber in Manchester killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert, and less than three months after another vehicular attack on Westminster Bridge in London that killed 5 people.

After praising the courage of the police, paramedics and general public “who defended themselves and others from attackers,” May revealed that the U.K.’s security, intelligence agencies and police have disrupted five credible terrorism plots since the Westminster attack in March. “The recent attacks are not connected. but we believe we are experiencing a new trend in the threat we face, as terrorism breeds terrorism,” she said.

May called for more vigilance “across the public sector and across society” in relating to “identifying” and stamping out terrorism. “That will require some difficult, and often embarrassing, conversations,” she said. “But the whole of our country needs to come together to take on this extremism, and we need to live our lives not in a series of separated, segregated communities, but as one truly United Kingdom.”

As well as calling on the public to be “most robust” in tackling terrorism, May said there needed to be an international agreement to “regulate cyberspace,” to prevent terrorists from having the “safe space” they need for their extremist ideology to breed. “That is precisely what the internet, and the big companies that provide internet-based services provide,” she added.

May said that the U.K.’s general election will go ahead as planned on June 8, although the major political parties have temporarily suspended their campaigning. “This can never be allowed to disrupt the democratic process,” she said.

“As a country, we must come together, we must pull together, and united we will take on and defeat our enemies,” May concluded, before heading back inside Downing Street.

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Write to Kate Samuelson at kate.samuelson@time.com