A Fishmongers’ Hall porter who fought off London Bridge terrorists with a ceremonial pike has won The Times and Royal Humane Society bravery award after being supported by hundreds of readers of The Times in a special vote.

“Łukasz Koczocik was presented with the award by Tony Gallagher, the editor of The Times, in a ceremony on Monday after readers were asked in June to choose what they considered to be the most inspiring of ten stories of civilian valour,” the newspaper informs. 

On the tragic day, Łukasz Koczocik defended others with an ornamented, ceremonial pike. He suffered serious injuries and was wounded three times by the terrorist.

The people who intervened to stop the Islamist terrorist Usman Khan in the London Bridge attack on 29 November 2019, have been recognised with the civilian Queen’s Gallantry Medals, approved by the Queen before her passing. One of them is Łukasz Koczocik.

Łukasz Koczocik was honoured with the Queen’s Gallantry Medal at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on 26 September 2023 in Windsor. He received the medal from King Charles III’s sister, Princess Anne.

Mr Koczocik said after the investiture ceremony: „I just did what I thought was right at that time and place, never a hero. I did something I never expected I could do myself, and now I know there’s more in me (…) They (the victims) were young people, bright people, I never knew them personally but it still makes me feel bad that there was nothing else I could do to stop it.”

Source: The Times

Tomasz Modrzejewski

Photo: X @JackWynTaylor