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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Finsbury Park: one dead, eight injured as van hits worshippers near London mosque – live updates | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 4.54am BST | |
| 04:54 | |
| One man confirmed to have died, eight people injured | |
| Police have confirmed that one man was pronounced dead at the scene and eight were injured. The Metropolitan Police put out a statement confirming that counter-terrorism police were investigating and that the area had been designated as a crime scene. | |
| The injured have been taken to three separate hospitals; two people were treated at the scene for minor injuries. | |
| At this stage there are no reports of any persons having suffered any knife injuries. The driver of the van - a man aged 48 - was found detained by members of public at the scene and then arrested by police in connection with the incident. He has been taken to hospital as a precaution, and will be taken into custody once discharged. He will also be subject of a mental health assessment in due course. | |
| The statement said no other suspects at the scene have been identified or reported to police. “Due to the nature of this incident extra policing resources have been deployed in order to reassure communities, especially those observing Ramadan,” it said. | |
| Any witnesses, or anyone with any information, can contact police via 101, or via Twitter @MetCC. To give information anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org. | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.56am BST | |
| 4.45am BST | |
| 04:45 | |
| Muslim Council of Britain: perpetrator was 'motivated by Islamophobia' | |
| A statement from the Muslim Council of Britain has condemned the incident, noting it is “widely being described as a terror attack”. The statement said witness accounts described the van “intentionally ploughed into a group of worshippers who were already tending to someone who had been taken ill”. Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain said: | |
| During the night, ordinary British citizens were set upon while they were going about their lives, completing their night worship. My prayers are with the victims and their families. It appears from eye witness accounts that the perpetrator was motivated by Islamophobia. | |
| Over the past weeks and months, Muslims have endured many incidents of Islamophobia, and this is the most violent manifestation to date.Given we are approaching the end of the month of Ramadan and the celebration of Eid with many Muslims going to local mosques, we expect the authorities to increase security outside mosques as a matter of urgency.Muslim communities have been calling for increased action to tackle the growth in hate crime for many years and transformative action must now be taken to tackle not only this incident but the hugely worrying growth in Islamophobia.Many will feel terrorised, no doubt be angry and saddened by what has taken place tonight. We urge calm as the investigation establishes the full facts, and in these last days of Ramadan, pray for those affected and for justice.” | |
| Police are yet to say whether the event in Finsbury Park constitutes a terrorist attack. | |
| 4.36am BST | |
| 04:36 | |
| What we know so far | |
| A van has driven into a crowd of worshippers after they left a mosque in north London in what police described as a “major incident”. | |
| Police have confirmed a number of casualties after the collision which happened at about 12.20am on Monday. Witnesses reported seeing up to 10 injured. | |
| Police have not said whether this was a deliberate attack or a terrorist attack but counter-terrorism police are at the scene and witnesses have described the van swerving towards a group of people. | |
| The white van hit people outside the Muslim Welfare House on Seven Sisters Road. Two witnesses reported seeing three people leave the van. | |
| London Ambulance Service sent a number of crews to the scene including specialist paramedics. | |
| The Muslim Council of Great Britain said the van had run over worshippers. | |
| The streets were crowded because it was shortly after prayers had finished at nearby Finsbury Park mosque | |
| One man was arrested at the scene by the police. | |
| 4.22am BST | 4.22am BST |
| 04:22 | 04:22 |
| While we await an update from the police, who have not yet confirmed if this was a deliberate attack or terrorist incident, our reporters are talking to people on the scene, many of whom have described the van purposefully driving into a group who had left the mosque. | While we await an update from the police, who have not yet confirmed if this was a deliberate attack or terrorist incident, our reporters are talking to people on the scene, many of whom have described the van purposefully driving into a group who had left the mosque. |
| Abdikadir Warfa has told Guardian crime correspondent Vikram Dodd that he and and others caught hold of the van driver, who threw kicks and punches as he tried to escape. Mr Warfa said: | Abdikadir Warfa has told Guardian crime correspondent Vikram Dodd that he and and others caught hold of the van driver, who threw kicks and punches as he tried to escape. Mr Warfa said: |
| He tried to run away he tried to escape. Some people were hitting him he was fighting to run away. I heard the sound of the van crashing. One person was under the van, some were run over. | He tried to run away he tried to escape. Some people were hitting him he was fighting to run away. I heard the sound of the van crashing. One person was under the van, some were run over. |
| He said some of the people hit by the van were wearing Islamic clothing. | He said some of the people hit by the van were wearing Islamic clothing. |
| 4.12am BST | 4.12am BST |
| 04:12 | 04:12 |
| Finsbury Park – a typically diverse London suburb | Finsbury Park – a typically diverse London suburb |
| Martin Farrer | Martin Farrer |
| Finsbury Park is a typically diverse London suburb situated a few kilometres north of the city centre. It’s home to a wide variety of nationalities and although it is undergoing a lot of change through gentrification (a theatre has opened in recent years, Pret a Manger is on the way etc), it retains a strong working-class flavour and is characterised by people from all walks of life. | Finsbury Park is a typically diverse London suburb situated a few kilometres north of the city centre. It’s home to a wide variety of nationalities and although it is undergoing a lot of change through gentrification (a theatre has opened in recent years, Pret a Manger is on the way etc), it retains a strong working-class flavour and is characterised by people from all walks of life. |
| It’s perhaps best known as home Arsenal football club. On match days, the streets – and pubs – are surrendered to thousands of fans who are disgorged from the Tube and railway station to walk down the road to the Emirates stadium. | It’s perhaps best known as home Arsenal football club. On match days, the streets – and pubs – are surrendered to thousands of fans who are disgorged from the Tube and railway station to walk down the road to the Emirates stadium. |
| It’s also the centre of London’s Algerian population, with the dense pocket of coffee shops and restaurants at the top of Blackstock Road known as “Little Algiers”, and before that was a popular landing point for Irish immigrants. | It’s also the centre of London’s Algerian population, with the dense pocket of coffee shops and restaurants at the top of Blackstock Road known as “Little Algiers”, and before that was a popular landing point for Irish immigrants. |
| Finsbury Park is also known as home to the mosque linked to the radical cleric Abu Hamza. The mosque’s current leaders have sought to purge its extremist past and have it removed from black lists. | Finsbury Park is also known as home to the mosque linked to the radical cleric Abu Hamza. The mosque’s current leaders have sought to purge its extremist past and have it removed from black lists. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.13am BST | at 4.13am BST |
| 4.04am BST | 4.04am BST |
| 04:04 | 04:04 |
| The chairman of the Finsbury Park Mosque tweets: | The chairman of the Finsbury Park Mosque tweets: |
| Our thoughts and prayers with those who got injured and effected by this cowardly attack in Finsbury Park area, many casualties in the floor | Our thoughts and prayers with those who got injured and effected by this cowardly attack in Finsbury Park area, many casualties in the floor |
| 3.57am BST | 3.57am BST |
| 03:57 | 03:57 |
| 'Terrible incident' – Theresa May | 'Terrible incident' – Theresa May |
| Prime minister Theresa May has described the situation near Finsbury Park mosque as a “terrible incident”. | Prime minister Theresa May has described the situation near Finsbury Park mosque as a “terrible incident”. |
| “All my thoughts are with those who have been injured, their loved ones and the emergency services on the scene,” she said. | “All my thoughts are with those who have been injured, their loved ones and the emergency services on the scene,” she said. |
| 3.54am BST | 3.54am BST |
| 03:54 | 03:54 |
| Counter-terrorism police investigating | Counter-terrorism police investigating |
| The Guardian’s crime correspondent Vikram Dodd writes: | The Guardian’s crime correspondent Vikram Dodd writes: |
| Counter-terrorism police are investigating a major incident in the Finsbury Park area of north London after a van hit pedestrians leaving a number of casualties. The Guardian understand that counter terrorism officers have joined regular police looking at the incident which is in its early stages. Officers are investigating whether the collision was accidental or deliberate and it is understood that armed officers have been deployed as a precaution. | Counter-terrorism police are investigating a major incident in the Finsbury Park area of north London after a van hit pedestrians leaving a number of casualties. The Guardian understand that counter terrorism officers have joined regular police looking at the incident which is in its early stages. Officers are investigating whether the collision was accidental or deliberate and it is understood that armed officers have been deployed as a precaution. |
| 3.53am BST | 3.53am BST |
| 03:53 | 03:53 |
| Jeremy Corbyn 'totally shocked' | Jeremy Corbyn 'totally shocked' |
| The Labour leader, whose constituency includes Finsbury Park, has said he is “totally shocked” by the incident and has been in touch with mosques, the police and Islington Council. | The Labour leader, whose constituency includes Finsbury Park, has said he is “totally shocked” by the incident and has been in touch with mosques, the police and Islington Council. |
| I'm totally shocked at the incident at Finsbury Park tonight. pic.twitter.com/1ffKijNs73 | I'm totally shocked at the incident at Finsbury Park tonight. pic.twitter.com/1ffKijNs73 |
| 3.45am BST | 3.45am BST |
| 03:45 | 03:45 |
| 3.42am BST | 3.42am BST |
| 03:42 | 03:42 |
| Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, says on Twitter that the authorities are investigating a “major incident” in Finsbury Park. | Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, says on Twitter that the authorities are investigating a “major incident” in Finsbury Park. |
| Emergency services are on the scene and investigating a major incident at Finsbury Park. Follow @Metpoliceuk and @Ldn_ambulance for details. | Emergency services are on the scene and investigating a major incident at Finsbury Park. Follow @Metpoliceuk and @Ldn_ambulance for details. |
| 3.41am BST | 3.41am BST |
| 03:41 | 03:41 |
| A second man has told Sky News that there were three men in the van. He said one was held by members of the public until police arrived but the other two ran away. | A second man has told Sky News that there were three men in the van. He said one was held by members of the public until police arrived but the other two ran away. |
| “There were three of them and two of them ran off. One of them was held here by worshippers until police came, but I’m worried because the other two must be somewhere around Finsbury Park. | “There were three of them and two of them ran off. One of them was held here by worshippers until police came, but I’m worried because the other two must be somewhere around Finsbury Park. |
| The man said the van swerved into the crowd just as prayers ended. | The man said the van swerved into the crowd just as prayers ended. |
| “I saw six or seven people on the floor, most of them were male.” | “I saw six or seven people on the floor, most of them were male.” |
| 3.32am BST | 3.32am BST |
| 03:32 | 03:32 |
| 3.18am BST | 3.18am BST |
| 03:18 | 03:18 |
| One resident told the Press Association he jumped out of the way as the van struck pedestrians. The man, who did not want to be named, said: | One resident told the Press Association he jumped out of the way as the van struck pedestrians. The man, who did not want to be named, said: |
| The gentleman went straight down this road, people were just conversing, talking, just doing what we’re doing. And he just came into all of us. There was a lot of people. We got told to move straight away. I was shocked, shocked, shocked. There were bodies around me. Thank God I just moved to the side, I just jumped. Everyone is hurt. Everyone is actually hurt.” | The gentleman went straight down this road, people were just conversing, talking, just doing what we’re doing. And he just came into all of us. There was a lot of people. We got told to move straight away. I was shocked, shocked, shocked. There were bodies around me. Thank God I just moved to the side, I just jumped. Everyone is hurt. Everyone is actually hurt.” |
| 3.16am BST | 3.16am BST |
| 03:16 | 03:16 |
| The Guardian’s Richard Preston, who is on the scene, said a witness told him that an elderly man had collapsed at a bus stop and was being tended to by a crowd of people when the van hit. | The Guardian’s Richard Preston, who is on the scene, said a witness told him that an elderly man had collapsed at a bus stop and was being tended to by a crowd of people when the van hit. |