The father who shielded worshippers from a gunman at a San Diego mosque has been hailed as a hero. But as his story reaches British shores, it has reignited a bitter row over the country's approach to extremism. The man, a 47-year-old former soldier, used his body to block a door as shots rang out, saving dozens of lives.
Police say the attack, which left two dead, was motivated by hate. In Westminster, ministers are under pressure to review the government's strategy on anti-terror hate crime legislation. But critics say the laws are already too heavy-handed, disproportionately targeting Muslim communities.
'We have a choice,' said a Home Office source. 'We can continue to see these acts of violence as isolated, or we can admit that hatred is seeping into the mainstream.' For the families of the victims, the debate is academic.
For the rest of us, it is a matter of life and death.
