MADRID (AP) – They came to London from across Europe and beyond, a generation of rovers hoping to build futures in a city known for the vibrancy of its economy – and its nightlife.
Then, on one of the year’s first temperate Saturday nights, the dream ended when three men used a van and knives to turn a part of town perfect for enjoying youthful energy into a scene of staggering horror.
Of the eight people killed in the attacks on and near London Bridge, only one was British. Three were tourists. And four were foreigners living in Britain’s capital, a place with a reputation for welcoming ambition of any nationality.
Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria and Frenchmen Alexandre Pigeard and Sebastien Belanger embodied the experience of countless Europeans who jump from one city to another following jobs and opportunities.
Echeverria, 39, studied law in Madrid and in Paris. He then worked briefly in Brussels before returning to Spain. The lack of prospects in the financial industry at home had him packing for London in late 2015. Echeverria ended up at British bank HSBC.