Fishmongers’ Hall attack victims continue to inspire people two years on, says London Mayor

People continue to draw inspiration and hope from Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones two years after they were killed in a terror attack, the mayor of London has said.

Usman Khan, 28, murdered the pair at an event organised by prisoner education scheme Learning Together at Fishmongers’ Hall on November 29, 2019.

Khan was tackled by people at the event using a chair, a fire extinguisher and even a narwhal tusk grabbed from the walls of Fishmongers’ Hall.

Usman Khan was eventually shot dead by armed police on nearby London Bridge.

Two years on, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “Today we honour and remember Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt who were tragically killed in the appalling terrorist attack at Fishmongers’ Hall two years ago.

“Saskia and Jack chose to dedicate themselves to helping others. They were passionate about changing the world for the better, and we continue to draw inspiration and hope from the way they lived their lives.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the heroic efforts of our emergency services and the bravery of ordinary Londoners who ran towards danger that day to help save the lives of strangers.

“The way our city came together and stood united in the aftermath of the attack showed the world once again that those who seek to divide us and destroy our way of life in London will never succeed.

“As mayor, I’m determined to continue working with communities, partners and the police to counter this threat and to do everything possible to keep Londoners safe.”

During the inquest into the deaths of Mr Merritt, 25, and Miss Jones, 23, earlier this year, Mr Merritt’s mother said: “Jack Merritt was a good person. Jack was a force for good in the world, someone who made other people’s lives better for knowing him.

“We are hugely proud of who Jack was and what he stood for. His death was a tragedy but his life was a triumph.”

Henry Pitchers QC, for the Jones family, said: “She (Miss Jones) should be defined as someone who battled to improve the lives of others in several spheres and was driven to make real changes into the world.

“The positive impact Saskia had on so many people in challenging situations provided a valley of light for them to seek hope and a way forward.”