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Gabby Giffords ‘sickened’ by murder of British politician Jo Cox

by Jesse Byrnes - 06/16/16 4:06 PM ET

Former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) on Thursday blamed “a coarseness in our politics and hatred toward the other” for the assassination of British politician Jo Cox.

The former lawmaker tweeted that she was “sickened” to hear of the attack on the member of Parliament, who died after being shot and stabbed following a meeting with constituents.

Absolutely sickened to hear of the assassination of Jo Cox. She was young, courageous, and hardworking. A rising star, mother, and wife.

— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) June 16, 2016

{mosads}Giffords, who survived being shot in the head at a constituent meeting in January 2011 that she says she doesn’t remember, invoked her experience and that of other lawmakers working to engage the public directly.

“Just like January 8, 2011 did not deter America from its founding ideals, the British principle of pluralism and the nation’s democratic institutions will endure,” Giffords said in a statement Thursday.

“However, the assassination of MP Jo Cox at the hands of a man driven by hatred is a manifestation of a coarseness in our politics and hatred toward the other that we must not tolerate,” Giffords added.

Giffords said in her statement released by her gun control group, Americans for Responsible Solutions, that she was grieving for the family and friends of Cox, whom she described as “courageous, young, and a hardworking public servant” and “a rising star,” mother and wife.

Police in Britain arrested a man in the area of the Cox attack who reportedly shouted “Britain First.” The attack on the Labour Party member drew comparisons to the shooting involving Giffords that forced her to resign from Congress.

Jared Loughner is serving life in prison after pleading guilty to 19 charges of murder and attempted murder in the 2011 Tucson shooting that left six people dead and several more wounded, including then-Rep. Giffords.

Tags Gabby Giffords Jo Cox