No doubt a very serious incident is unfolding and a very upsetting one for all involved. I know the London Bridge area even better than Westminster Bridge, where the previous apparently similar incident occurred. I'm always lost for words when I try to understand how someone could deliberately do something like this (if the initial reports are to be believed). Many of my friends have been enjoying a night out in a different part of central London tonight. I would have been too had circumstances been slightly different.
However, I must admit I was surprised that no pavement security measures were implemented on London Bridge since the Westminster incident. I've walked over London Bridge a number of times since, including only a few days ago, and it is unfortunately a thoroughfare which is most inviting to all sorts of misdemeanours, be they doing great evil such as may have happened tonight, or just cycling on the pavement, people demanding money, illegal trading or whatever it may be. Introducing some physical and visual obstructions could make it less appealing to terrorism and illegal vehicle use, and also reduce the likelihood of crowding and people paying attention to antisocial behaviour (introducing obstructions can actually aid dispersal if done properly). The irony is that most of the local offices and shops seem to have protection, but not the focal point of the bridge itself.
And so soon after Manchester.
