British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has laid flowers at the church where an MP was stabbed to death a day earlier, in what police say was a terrorist attack probably linked to Islamist extremism.
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The attack on David Amess, from Johnson's Conservative Party, comes five years after the murder of Jo Cox, an MP from the opposition Labour Party, and has prompted a review of the security of elected politicians.
Amess, 69, was knifed repeatedly in the attack about midday on Friday in Leigh-on-Sea, east of London, during a meeting with constituents.
Police arrested a 25-year-old British man at the scene on suspicion of murder, adding it is believed he acted alone.
In a statement early on Saturday, police said the early investigation had revealed a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism.
Johnson, interior minister Priti Patel, and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer were among those to lay flowers in tribute to Amess at the scene of the murder.
Johnson and Starmer stood side by side in a moment of silence before leaving. On Friday, Johnson said Britain had lost a fine public servant and a much-loved friend and colleague.
As tributes poured in for Amess, politicians described the attack as an assault on democracy, and Patel said security for MPs was being reviewed and strengthened.
"All measures are being put in place for the security of MPs so that they can carry on with their duties as elected democratic members," Patel said in a broadcast clip following the visit.
"We live in an open society, a democracy. We cannot be cowed by any individual."
In Westminster, where MPs do much of their work in parliament, armed police are on patrol. But in their constituencies, more often than not there is no security.
Amess was stabbed while holding a surgery - one-to-one meetings with voters, open to whoever turns up.
Conservative MPs Tobias Ellwood said that while engagement with the public was a vital part of the job, there was now huge anxiety among MPs and called for a pause in such meetings.
Patel said Amess was killed doing a job he loved, and MPs should remain accessible to the public.
"We will continue to absolutely stand by the principles that we are elected by: to serve our constituents in the open way in which we have been doing so, but also recognising that there are safety and protection measures that we have to undertake too," Patel said.
Flags on all British government buildings are being flown at half-mast in tribute.
Amess, married with five children, was first elected to parliament to represent the town of Basildon in 1983, and then nearby Southend West in 1997. He was knighted by the Queen in 2015 for his public service.
The knife attack at a meeting with constituents has echoes of a 2010 incident when Labour MP Stephen Timms survived a stabbing in his constituency office, and the 2016 fatal shooting of Labour's Jo Cox just days before the Brexit referendum.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also conveyed his condolences. "An attack on elected officials is an attack on democracy," he said.
The Conservative Party suspended all campaigning activities until further notice.
"Heartbreaking to hear of the death of Sir David Amess," former Conservative prime minister Theresa May said.
"A decent man and respected parliamentarian, killed in his own community while carrying out his public duties. A tragic day for our democracy."
Australian Associated Press