The Lion of London Bridge: meet Roy Larner

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Roy Larner was drinking in the Black & Blue bar when the attackers entere brandishing knives. The Millwall fan, who has been aptly described as ‘fearless’ rushed to defend his fellow Londoners.

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Roy recalled the moment the attackers struck, saying:

They had these long knives and started shouting about Allah. Then it was, ‘Islam, Islam, Islam’. Like an idiot I shouted back at them. I thought, ‘I need to take the piss out of these bastards.

I took a few steps towards them and said, ‘frick you, I’m Millwall’. So they started attacking me. I stood in front of them trying to fight them off. Everyone else ran to the back.

I was on my own against all three of them, that’s why I got hurt so much. It was just me, trying to grab them with my bare hands and hold on. I was swinging.

Roy described the injuries he sustained through his bravery, saying:

I got stabbed and sliced eight times. They got me in my head, chest and both hands. There was blood everywhere. They were saying, ‘Islam, Islam!’. I said again, ‘frick you, I’m Millwall!’ It was the worst thing I could have done as they carried on attacking me.

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The die-hard Millwall football fan toldThe Sun:

I didn’t think of my safety at the time. I’d had four or five pints – nothing major. I can handle myself. But I was out with an old person and it was out of order. It wasn’t until I was in a police car that I realised I was in a bad way. I’d been sliced up all over.

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