Boss of heroic catering staff who tackled London Bridge terrorist tells of his pride

The proud boss of heroic catering staff who armed themselves with a whale tusk and fire extinguisher to tackle the London Bridge terrorist last night described their extraordinary bravery.

Commodore Toby Williamson, of Fishmongers’ Hall, where Usman Khan began his rampage during a prisoner rehabilitation conference on Friday, said ‘humble’ staff grabbed any weapons they could to ‘level the playing field’.

The former naval officer described how civilians turned heroes to try to disarm Khan – despite their belief that he was armed with a working bomb. 

Astonishing footage showed two men on London Bridge – one brandishing an antique narwhal tusk grabbed from the conference hall, the other a fire extinguisher – confronting Khan.

Commodore Williamson said: ‘They took a decision that enough was enough, they took anything immediately to hand to level the odds against a mad man.

‘No one could predict how this was going to happen. Start to finish, two minutes. But they were determined it wasn’t going to go on and they did exactly what they had to do, I am proud to know them.

‘They used fire extinguishers, they used chairs, they used these narwhal tusks ripped off the wall in the heat of the moment and they took the game back to the knifeman.’ 

Commodore Toby Williamson, of Fishmongers’ Hall, where Usman Khan began his rampage during a prisoner rehabilitation conference on Friday, said ‘humble’ staff grabbed any weapons they could to ‘level the playing field’

Mr Williamson confirmed that the man who armed himself with the tusk was a Polish chef working at Fishmongers’ Hall, called Lukasz.

Yesterday it emerged he was being put forward for an official honour in Poland, acknowledging his ‘sacrifice and courage’.

Commodore Williamson also suggested that the fire-extinguisher hero was a member of the team called Andy. 

One of the bystanders on London Bridge was seen holding a knife (left) which appeared to have been taken from the suspect. Another man – believed to be the knifeman – could be seen lying on the ground, close to a knife (circled, right)

‘Andy and Lukasz are just two of the most humble people you would know – they are maintainers, they are porters – and yet in the heat of the moment they do extraordinary things,’ he said.

Another civilian who risked his life returned to finish his shift washing dishes in a bar nearby just minutes later. 

The man, in his 20s and known only as Mohammed, helped pin Khan down until police arrived, his boss told The Sun on Sunday. 

‘He was on his break. He came back afterwards. He didn’t say anything, he went back to work, washing dishes.’