British Politician dies after being shot and stabbed.

[Mutant Monster RAEG-HAPYP]

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/16/europe/british-mp-jo-cox-attacked/index.html

 

This is very sad, and I'm also actually very curious on how this guy actually managed to get a gun in UK Anyone from the UK wanna fill me in here?

 

And no, before anyone starts anything, it doesn't seem like any sort of jihadist attack. With recent events, I felt that needed to be cleared up.

[Aerion Brightflame]

Despite common belief guns aren't impossible to get ahold of in Britain. You can get a license. It's just harder than it is in the US, and very few people actually want them. Rural families usually own firearms that have been in the families for years. Usually rifles and shotguns - Handguns are incredibly uncommon

 

In this case however, the gun was apparently homemade, or quite old. In either, it's doesn't seem to be an issue with gun ownership laws and the like because this mans gun is not one he obtained through even conventional illegal methods. Of course that may change as more information airs. 

 

Finally before anyone comes in here and says something like 'How are those gun laws working out for you?' bare in mind this is an isolated incident and an incredibly uncharacteristic instance. It is incredibly uncommon to see this sort of thing happen in the UK. Hell the other day I saw a statistic talking about how we had had less massing shootings in the past 17 years than the US had in the past 7 days. 

 

This is just an exceptional tragedy. 

[Mutant Monster RAEG-HAPYP]

Despite common belief guns aren't impossible to get ahold of in Britain. You can get a license. It's just harder than it is in the US, and very few people actually want them. Rural families usually own firearms that have been in the families for years. Usually rifles and shotguns - Handguns are incredibly uncommon

 

In this case however, the gun was apparently homemade, or quite old. In either, it's doesn't seem to be an issue with gun ownership laws and the like because this mans gun is not one he obtained through even conventional illegal methods. Of course that may change as more information airs.

 

Finally before anyone comes in here and says something like 'How are those gun laws working out for you?' bare in mind this is an isolated incident and an incredibly uncharacteristic instance. It is incredibly uncommon to see this sort of thing happen in the UK. Hell the other day I saw a statistic talking about how we had had less massing shootings in the past 17 years than the US had in the past 7 days.

 

This is just an exceptional tragedy.

Ah, thanks for clearing that up. The rural families bit actually is kind of similar to the U.S., as a lot of gun folks tend to be in more rural areas or so I've seen. Of course, shops do exist in more populated areas, but it just feels like a good amount of U.S. gun lovers are from or live in a less dense area.

 

Though, anyone who criticizes the UK gun laws because of this is someone you should ignore. I don't think anyone will, but you never know.

[mido9]

Ah, thanks for clearing that up. The rural families bit actually is kind of similar to the U.S., as a lot of gun folks tend to be in more rural areas or so I've seen. Of course, shops do exist in more populated areas, but it just feels like a good amount of U.S. gun lovers are from or live in a less dense area.

 

Though, anyone who criticizes the UK gun laws because of this is someone you should ignore. I don't think anyone will, but you never know.

This wouldn't have happened if they had an AK-47, a Kevlar body suit, a Titanium body helmet, a rocket launcher, and 3 different grenades.

[Zauls]

It seems this attack was motivated by Jo Cox's stance on the EU referendum and the attack was carried out by a follower of Britain First, a racist neo-fascist organisation that has (unfortunately) become quite popular over the last few years. This EU thing has really brought out the worst in people.

[mido9]

https://twitter.com/RaheemKassam/status/743482973526306816

 

Huh. Maria Eagle has deleted her tweet about the attacker shouting "Britain First" https://twitter.com/RaheemKassam/status/743482973526306816and there's now a second witness who says he never heard britain first. https://t.co/DWhzqe7ayi

 

Additionally, according to both Telegraph and Guardian are reporting that Thomas Mair was a loner with a history of mental Illness and no political affiliation:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/16/jo-cox-mp-everything-we-know-so-far-about-thomas-mair/

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/16/suspect-in-mp-killing-described-as-quiet-polite-and-reserved

 

That's pretty damn manipulative if true.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtDKfd-pEGw

[Aerion Brightflame]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36550304

 

Second Video link is an eye witness commenting on the perp saying 'Britain First or put Britain First'. 

 

So unless this guy was manipulated or has an agenda (It's a BBC interview, it's unlikely to be the former), there's basis for the comments. 

[ihop]

Huh. Maria Eagle has deleted her tweet about the attacker shouting "Britain First" https://twitter.com/RaheemKassam/status/743482973526306816and there's now a second witness who says he never heard britain first. https://t.co/DWhzqe7ayi

 

Wait, let me get this straight - people are getting on Maria Eagle's case and saying the Remain campaign exploited the attack for tweeting that a witness said the attacked shouted "Britain First" because ONE other witness said he didn't? I don't think it needs to be explained how hypocritical it is.

 

As a matter of fact, it turns out the attacker is a far-right nutcase who gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36567005) in court. I suppose the Remain campaign are now free to make a video saying "Leave campaign exploits incomplete information" or something.

 

Anyway, I think the main thing that needs to be taken from this is not a matter of left and right but a matter of how dangerous it can be to be an MP - unlike senior figures they come into contact, unprotected, with the public and awful lot and are subject to some pretty awful stuff regardless, but it starts to become a problem when they're actually shot and killed on the street - most MPs have experienced dangerous violence at some point, and it begs the question whether more needs to be done about MP security.

[Mutant Monster RAEG-HAPYP]

It was also mentioned that he was a Neo-Nazi supporter. Is that a thing among this group of people?

 

I'm not going to pretend I know Britain since I live in the states, but it seems this Brexit issue is huge. What are the views of the general populace there?

[Zauls]

It was also mentioned that he was a Neo-Nazi supporter. Is that a thing among this group of people?

 

I'm not going to pretend I know Britain since I live in the states, but it seems this Brexit issue is huge. What are the views of the general populace there?

 

Britain First is a neo-fascist organisation, basically modern day Nazis, except they blame Muslims and other immigrants for everything, rather than Jews.

 

The Brexit issue is massive, of course. More important than any general election in history for sure. Unfortunately the views of many British people is that leaving will mean we can "take back control" of our borders (whatever that means). Immigration is a massively inflated issue in the UK and people think that leaving the EU will drastically reduce immigration (which it won't because the majority of immigration comes from outside the EU anyway) therefore magically solve all the country's problems. There is huge misinformation, scaremongering and outright lies from the media and both sides of the campaign, so nobody is really that informed, but right now it appears Remain is slightly edging it.