By the editor
Journalists around the world watched with horror as 12 innocent people were murdered in Paris at the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo by terrorist gunmen.
Many journalists live in Brighton and Sussex. Most are probably profoundly shocked and wondering where they can get help and advice from.
At the moment all we can suggest is to ring the local Police on 101.
The local politicians are silent hiding in their appeasement.
1974 Guildford Pub Bombings
However UKIP’s parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown Ian Buchanan was available for comment.
He was in Guildford on the night of 5 October 1974 when at 8.30pm an IRA bomb consisting of six lbs of gelignite exploded killing five people and injuring another 65. A second bomb exploded in another pub nearby which fortunately had already been evacuated.
Ian Buchanan said;
As a teenager I’d just left the cinema with a pal and was walking down North Street (Guildford) and was within 50 yards of the Horse and Groom pub when there was this huge crash and we were covered in swirling dust. As it settled we saw all the horrors of the aftermath of a terrorist incident. There was a pause..then the screaming started.
Afterwards I realised that it’s not terrorism itself that’s frightening, but the fear of terrorism.
However we live in a large country and it’s important to remember that it is not going to happen in every town and city and we are not going to let terrorists frighten us into a corner.
Our local MPs are the leaders of our community and elected to represent us. After such a shocking event as yesterday’s massacre they should offer support to those most affected. That’s what people in public life are there to do. They should step up to the mark.
