Brits react to the high terror level in the most British way possible

Dry wit in the face of adversity.
 By 
Marcus Gilmer
 on 
Brits react to the high terror level in the most British way possible
Keep calm and humor on Credit: WILL OLIVER/EPA/REX/Shutterstock; Mashable composite

Brits can always be relied on for their stoicism and dry wit in the face of adversity.

That was apparent on UK Twitter in the aftermath of Monday's horrible attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.

As the UK terror threat level was raised to "critical" -- the highest rating under their alert system -- British Twitter users exercised a stiff upper lip and self-deprecating humor with the hashtag #BritishThreatLevels.

It has become a way to demonstrate British spirit and resilience without offending or trying to make light of what is obviously a very serious situation.

While there was a bit of backlash against the jokes, many users defended the hashtag, explaining that they weren't being made in light of the tragedy, but as a way to rise above the fear terrorists want to instill in a community.

And, so, finding some light in the darkness continues to be a British trait that we could all emulate just a bit.

Topics X/Twitter

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Marcus Gilmer

Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.

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