A man who witnessed the London terror attacks Saturday night has become a social media sensation after vowing to drink more and “flirt with handsome men” in the wake of the tragedy.
In a Sunday interview with the BBC, Richard Angell recalled being just “six meters” from the alleged terrorists as he dined with friends at London’s Arabica Bar and Kitchen near the city’s Borough Market, where the attacks that left seven people dead and 48 injured took place.
Though the 33-year-old was shaken by the experience, he defiantly returned to the scene the next day, pledging not to give in to fear.
“If me having a gin and tonic with my friends, flirting with handsome men, hanging out with brilliant women is what offends these people so much, I’m going to do it more, not less,” he told the BBC in the interview, which can be viewed above. “That’s what makes London so great. That’s what makes it the best city in the world.”
Angell, who is the director of the U.K.-based think tank, Progress, later told BuzzFeed that he and his friends planned to return to Arabica Bar and Kitchen. “I’ve got to pay my bill. Also, we haven’t given the staff a tip and they looked out for us when they should have been helping themselves,” he said. “It was lovely food and I want the rest of my main course.”
The BBC interview caught the attention of John Oliver, who praised Angell in Sunday’s episode of “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.”
“I sincerely hope that guy is out on the town tonight, pounding down gin and tonics, and flirting with every man he sees,” Oliver quipped. “To you sir, I say this: Cheers!”
Others chimed in on social media, too.
Turns out, Angell was true to his word. On Monday, he tweeted a photo of himself with his friends enjoying a toast at the Arabica Bar and Kitchen.
What an inspiration!
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