Washington, April 26 (IANS) Condemning the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, world leaders have called it an attack on democratic institutions and urged restraint amid rising political tensions.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “shocked by the scenes” at the Washington event and stressed that “any attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”

“It is a huge relief that @POTUS, the First Lady and all those attending are safe,” he added.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed solidarity with the United States, describing the incident as a threat to democratic values.

“No political hatred can find space in our democracies,” she said, warning that societies must not allow “fanaticism to poison the places of free debate and information.”

In Washington, lawmakers echoed those concerns and called for steps to address political violence.

Representative Ro Khanna urged the creation of a bipartisan national commission, saying: “We should look at social media. We should look at mental health issues. We should look at language. But we need to do something to bring the temperature down,” as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Americans must reject violence in political life. “Violence is never the answer, whether it’s targeted at the right, the left or the centre,” he said, according to The Washington Post.

The shooting, which prompted the evacuation of President Donald Trump and senior officials, has intensified debate over political rhetoric and security in the United States.

The incident also had immediate diplomatic implications.

U.K. officials said they were reviewing security arrangements ahead of King Charles III’s planned visit to Washington this week. “The government and the palace take the security of His Majesty very seriously,” said Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, adding that “extensive discussions” were underway, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The United Arab Emirates condemned the attack as a “heinous crime” and reaffirmed its solidarity with the United States, stating that it denounces “all such criminal acts, forms of violence, extremism and terrorism,” according to Fox News.

Officials said investigations into the motive remain ongoing, with preliminary findings suggesting the suspect may have been targeting members of the Trump administration.

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is widely seen as a symbol of democratic values and press freedom, bringing together journalists and political leaders each year.

–IANS

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