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Driver Crashes Car Into Barriers Outside U.K. Parliament Driver Crashes Car Into Barriers Outside U.K. Parliament
(about 1 hour later)
LONDON — A car crashed into the gates of the Houses of Parliament in London early Tuesday, injuring a number of pedestrians, according to the police, who detained the male driver. LONDON — A speeding car struck and injured several pedestrians and cyclists then crashed into a security barrier just outside the Houses of Parliament in London early Tuesday, according to the police, who detained the male driver.
Officers set up a security cordon around Parliament Square, with around a dozen police cars and ambulances parked at the site, and helicopters flew overhead. Armed police officers stood guard, and video footage on Twitter showed them urging people to leave the area. Video footage showed about a dozen armed police officers springing toward a silver Ford and pointing their weapons at it, before handcuffing the driver.
Westminster Bridge was closed to cars, the police directed pedestrians to alternative routes, and the nearby Westminster subway station was closed. None of those injured were believed to be in life-threatening condition, the police said. Officers set up a security cordon around Parliament Square, with around a dozen police cars and ambulances parked at the site, while helicopters circled above. Armed officers stood guard, and video footage on Twitter showed them urging people to leave the area.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman declined to say whether the episode might have been a terrorist act. Westminster Bridge was closed to vehicles, pedestrians were directed to alternative routes, and the nearby, heavily used Westminster subway station was closed. None of those injured were believed to be in life-threatening condition, the police said.
“At 7.37 a.m. today, a car was in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament,” a police statement read. “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.” A Metropolitan Police spokesman declined to say whether the episode was a terrorist act. But witnesses told television stations that the episode seemed deliberate; the car was traveling too fast, they said, and did not swerve before striking people or the security bollard. The Metropolitan Police said its Counter-Terrorism Command was leading the investigation.
Westminster, the locus of British politics, has been under tight security since last year. In March 2017, an assailant driving a sport utility vehicle mowed down pedestrians and stabbed a police officer, prompting the evacuation of the prime minister. At least four people, including the assailant, were killed and at least 40 others injured. One witness, Jason Williams, told ITV’s “Good Morning Britain”: “Basically, I’ve seen a man driving a vehicle, and he’s gone into one of the bollards. There was a loud bang. Straight away I thought, ‘Oh no, this is another terrorist attack.’ So I just started to run, and the police were saying, ‘Get out, get out of the area.’ ”
According to a police statement, “At 7.37 a.m. today, a car was in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament.” The statement said that the male driver of the car had been detained by officers at the scene. “A number of pedestrians have been injured,” it continued.
Westminster, the locus of British politics, has been under tight security since last year. In March 2017, an assailant driving a sport utility vehicle mowed down pedestrians and stabbed a police officer, prompting the evacuation of the prime minister. At least four people, including the assailant, were killed, and at least 40 others wounded.
A month later, a 27-year-old man carrying knives was arrested near Parliament by the police, who charged him with planning a terrorist attack. No one was hurt.A month later, a 27-year-old man carrying knives was arrested near Parliament by the police, who charged him with planning a terrorist attack. No one was hurt.
And in June that year, three men killed six civilians near London Bridge and a nearby market, and wounded dozens more. And in June that year, three men killed six civilians near London Bridge and the nearby Borough Market, and wounded dozens more.
Parliament was already surrounded by lines of crash bollards, balustrades and steel barricades, put in place after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States and the bombings on July 7, 2005, in London. Terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels in 2016 led to even tighter security.