Family of murdered Westminster cop Keith Palmer ‘let down’ by Scotland Yard who ‘value them below terrorist’
THE family of murdered Westminster cop Keith Palmer have accused the Met of valuing them below terrorist Khalid Masood.
Keith’s sisters Angela Clark and Michelle Palmer claim the force is blocking their bid for the truth at his inquest.
PC Palmer was the only police officer to be murdered by Masood during the attack on Westminster Bridge in March last year.
His siblings have said their questions about vulnerabilities in Parliamentary security had been ignored and they felt “battered and undervalued".
Despite being told they were part of the policing family after PC Palmer's funeral they now claim they have been met with hostility from the Met during the inquests.
The sisters, who spoke on behalf of their 71-year-old mother, worry that the police force are “scapegoating” more junior officers over the alleged security failures during the terror attack.
Michelle, 46, said: “Keith gave his life and we’re left with no answers. Eighteen months on we were hoping for some closure, but were not going to have that.
“We feel like we come below Khalid Masood. We are not valued, not wanted, we feel like we are on trial.
“We are not valued, not wanted. We feel like we are being battered.”
Angela, 52, added: "We put our faith in this system, that we would get answers.
"And we’re no utterly demoralised, our faith I gone.”
Keith, 48, was unarmed when Masood - wielding two large knives - came charging towards him shortly after he mowed down pedestrians in his car on Westminster Bridge.
Four others died in the attack after being hit by the knifeman's car.
Paramedics fought to save Mr Palmer's life, and that of his attacker, on the floor of the cobbled courtyard in front of Parliament.
The attacker was shot by police and later died in hospital.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “We appreciate that this is an extremely difficult time for PC Palmer’s family and the loved ones of all the other victims of the Westminster attack.
“The Metropolitan Police Service continues to offer the families support and fully engage with the inquest process.
“We are unable to comment further while the inquest is ongoing.”
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