The news of yesterday’s attack struck me hard, being a Londoner, a Muslim and as someone who this time last year was caught in the Brussels terror attack.

“Today is a year since Brussels. Love and solidarity sisters” was the simple message I sent yesterday morning to the women I was trapped inside the EU Parliament headquarters with on 22 March 2016. Later that day, we found that history was repeating itself a year on in another parliament, in another city, our city.

Memories of being locked in a room and being told to stay away from windows came flooding back, as similar instructions were being repeated in the Palace of Westminster.

Sadiq Khan on the Westminster attack: "Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism"

I frantically text friends and colleagues to check they were safe. I also began to receive messages from Muslim friends expressing disbelief and disgust at the violence, worried about our loved ones in the vicinity of the attack.

It wasn’t long before questions about the attacker’s identity began to surface. Every Muslim I know prayed it wasn’t someone who claimed to share our faith. Now that we know the assailant had been investigated by MI5 and Isis have claimed the attack as their own, the fear of a backlash has become very real.

But in the true London spirit of tolerance and acceptance, a fundraising page for the victims was set up by the Muslim London Launch Good Campaign and within two hours of being created £5000 has been donated. Faith leaders across London were featured in a video produced by London Faith Forum expressing solidarity. Various Muslim organisations were quick to release statements and a vigil has been organised tonight by our Muslim mayor to express love, solidarity and defiance.

In pictures: Westminster attack Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Westminster attack In pictures: Westminster attack An air ambulance lands after gunfire sounds were heard close to the Palace of Westminster in London PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack MPs wait until the situation is under control in Westminster. 'The alleged assailant was shot by armed police,' David Lidington, leader of the House of Commons, told the house. BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Crowds gather in Westminster after shooting incident, which police are treating as terror attack BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Police were also called to an incident on Westminster Bridge nearby AP In pictures: Westminster attack Early reports indicate the car, which mounted the pavement on Westminster Bridge and mowed into around a dozen people, was the same vehicle which then rammed into the railings of the Palace of Westminster, just around the corner Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack Security sources described the suspected assailant as a middle-aged Asian man, who is understood to have left the car before attacking a police officer with a seven-to-eight inch knife PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack Police have asked people to avoid the immediate area to allow emergency services to deal with the ongoing incident AP In pictures: Westminster attack One woman has died and a number of others, including the police officer, have been hurt, according to a junior doctor at St Thomas' Hospital Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack At least three gun shots were heard by those inside Westminster, and proceedings in the House of Commons have been suspended AP

We are doing this because we care for our city, we are hurt by the violence, death and hatred that visited it yesterday and because we are Londoners who happen to be Muslim.