This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/aug/14/car-crashes-security-barriers-houses-of-parliament

The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Parliament car crash: man arrested on suspicion of terrorism Parliament crash: man arrested on suspicion of terrorism
(35 minutes later)
A man has been arrested on suspicion of terror offences after a car crashed into a number of cyclists and pedestrians before hitting security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament in London, police have said. A man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after a car crashed into a number of cyclists and pedestrians before hitting security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament in London, police have said.
Streets around Parliament Square, Millbank and Victoria Tower Gardens have been cordoned off as dozens of armed police swooped on the scene. The length of Whitehall is completely shut off to traffic, with the cordon extended up to where the road meets Trafalgar Square. Officers could be seen surrounding the car before leading a man away in handcuffs. A number of ambulances were at the scene. Armed police swooped on the scene in marked cars moments after the silver Ford Fiesta collided with the barriers at about 7.40am on Tuesday, pointing their weapons at the vehicle before a driver emerged and was placed in handcuffs.
Scotland Yard said: “At 0737 hours today, a car was in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament. The male driver of the car was detained by officers at the scene. A number of pedestrians have been injured. Officers remain at the scene. The man, in his late 20s, was arrested at the scene and taken to a police station in south London where he remains in police custody. He was the only person in the vehicle, which remains at the scene and is being searched. No weapons have been recovered at this stage.
“At this stage, officers do not believe anybody is in a life-threatening condition. Cordons are in place to assist the investigation. Westminster tube station is closed.” Two people were taken to hospital, the London ambulance service said, although their injuries are not thought to be serious.
Peter Rhodes, an assistant director of operations with the service, said: “We were called at 7.40am to reports of an incident on St Margaret Street, SW1. We sent a number of resources to the scene including three ambulance crews, responders in cars and an incident response officer. The dramatic scenes have echoes of the Westminster Bridge attack in March 2017, which prompted the extension of steel and concrete security barriers around the Houses of Parliament. Khalid Masood ploughed a car into crowds on Westminster Bridge, killing four people, before stabbing and killing unarmed PC Keith Palmer.
“We have treated two people at the scene for injuries that are not believed to be serious and have taken them to hospital.”
Transport for London said though Westminster station was closed, it was open for interchange points.
A witness, Ewalina Ochab, said: “I think it looked intentional – the car drove at speed and towards the barriers. I was walking on the other side [of the road]. I heard some noise and someone screamed.”A witness, Ewalina Ochab, said: “I think it looked intentional – the car drove at speed and towards the barriers. I was walking on the other side [of the road]. I heard some noise and someone screamed.”
The car did not appear to have a front registration plate when it crashed, she said. “I turned around and I saw a silver car driving very fast close to the railings, maybe even on the pavement. The person driving did not go out of the vehicle.”The car did not appear to have a front registration plate when it crashed, she said. “I turned around and I saw a silver car driving very fast close to the railings, maybe even on the pavement. The person driving did not go out of the vehicle.”
Another witness, the local businessman Jason Williams, said he saw a large dark car traveling at about 40mph crash into the barriers outside parliament. “It looked like a deliberate attack,” he said. “I was shocked. I was told to move and I started to run.”Another witness, the local businessman Jason Williams, said he saw a large dark car traveling at about 40mph crash into the barriers outside parliament. “It looked like a deliberate attack,” he said. “I was shocked. I was told to move and I started to run.”
Melanie Spindler, a tourist from Germany, was in the area with her husband, and their two children.Melanie Spindler, a tourist from Germany, was in the area with her husband, and their two children.
She said: “We tried to go to Westminster pier for a trip down the Thames. We arrived just now and realised the area was closed. This [potential terror incidents] is the reality now. We are not concerned at this stage.”She said: “We tried to go to Westminster pier for a trip down the Thames. We arrived just now and realised the area was closed. This [potential terror incidents] is the reality now. We are not concerned at this stage.”
Sam Goodman, who works for the Labour party at parliament was leaving the evacuated area. He said: “It’s business as usual, we’ve been here before. It’s a bit tense but there’s not a huge amount of knowledge about what has happened. There was a very quick response from the police.” Sam Goodman, who works for the Labour party at parliament, was leaving the evacuated area. He said: “It’s business as usual, we’ve been here before. It’s a bit tense but there’s not a huge amount of knowledge about what has happened. There was a very quick response from the police.”
The Houses of Parliament are surrounded with security barriers of steel and concrete. The measures were extended after the Westminster Bridge attack in March 2017, when Khalid Masood ploughed a car into crowds on Westminster Bridge, killing four people. The decision to treat the incident as terrorist was made for several reasons, including CCTV recovered by police showing the vehicle driving at pedestrians and civilians, outside an iconic site, which is seen as a high-profile target for terrorist attacks.
Masood abandoned his car then stabbed and killed unarmed PC Keith Palmer before he was shot by police in a courtyard outside parliament. Streets around Parliament Square, Millbank and Victoria Tower Gardens were cordoned off. The length of Whitehall was completely shut off to traffic, with the cordon extended up to where the road meets Trafalgar Square.
Transport for London said though Westminster station was closed, it was open for interchange points.
The home Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “Huge thanks to our emergency services for their rapid reaction to incident in Westminster this morning. My thoughts are with those injured.”
It is understood Theresa May, who is on holiday abroad, was informed of the incident at 8am and has been given regular updates by officials.
UK newsUK news
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content