There has been what is being regarded as a terrorism incident outside the Houses of Parliament in London at 7.30 a.m.
A car was (apparently) deliberately driven the wrong side of the road taking down several cyclists, over a sidewalk and along a slip road leading to the House of Lords car park. It then crashed into a security barrier. Nobody is reported killed although two have been taken to hospital and others had injuries. No injuries are reported to be life threatening. A man in his 20s has been arrested and is being held under the Terrorism Act.
The BBC has a video of the event, taken from a high vantage point. The car hit what looks like an ordinary barrier you see at many checkpoint but it was rather stronger than that, said to be designed to stop vehicles moving at 60-70 MPH. An eye witness reports the vehicle lifted off the ground when it hit.
Barry Williams, a BBC member of staff based at Millbank, said: "I heard lots of screams and turned round.
"The car went onto the wrong side of the road to where cyclists were waiting at lights and ploughed into them.
"Then it swerved back across the road and accelerated as fast as possible and hit the barrier at full pelt.
"It was a small silver car and he hit it at such speed the car actually lifted off the ground and bounced.
"Then the police just jumped. Two officers managed to leap over the security barriers and then the armed police vehicles all sped towards the scene."
Jason Williams told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme the driver had "driven at speed - more than 40 mph".
He added: "There was smoke coming out of the car. I have seen people on the ground, lying on the road. I don't know if they have actually been hit by the vehicle or not.
The suspect was surrounded by armed police and has been taken to “a South London police station” for interview. (This is code for Lewisham police station which is a new, high security building. It replaced one near Edgware Road tube station which was previously used for this purpose.)
Live reports as I write indicate that the man was “on the police radar”, i.e. he was allegedly known to the security services. (There are a couple of what look like police vehicles which follow him to the slip road.) [See update, not known to police previously.]
Please note: the lockdown of Parliament and the cordoning off of streets is standard practice and does not reflect any continuing threat as the restrictions are being gradually listed. The injured all appear to be cyclists going to work so it is unlikely any friends or relatives visiting London will have been affected. If you are worried, contact them by text (and don’t forget the time difference like Trump does).
Tuesday, Aug 14, 2018 · 10:45:04 AM +00:00 · Lib Dem FoP
The Cabinet will have an emergency COBRA (Cabinet office briefing room A, the equivalent of the WH Situation Room) meeting this afternoon at 2 pm.
A closer look at the video shows that there were two unarmed police standing in front of the barrier. The car looks like it was driven towards one who leapt over the barrier nearest the building. Other video shows the unarmed police directing passers by away and another man in civilian clothing who looks like an armed plain cover security officer. Such an armed officer took down the Westminster Bridge attacker who killed a policeman with a knife.
The car diverted away from an ambulance before hitting the cyclists so paramedics were on the scene virtually immediately. Update on the injured taken to hospital:
Tuesday, Aug 14, 2018 · 10:56:21 AM +00:00 · Lib Dem FoP
The police have now given a statement which clarifies the hospital’s tweet.
Three people were injured. One was treated at the scene. Two were taken to hospital and one remains there being treated.
The arrested man has not been co-operating with the police during interview but was NOT previously known to them.
Tuesday, Aug 14, 2018 · 12:47:55 PM +00:00
·
Lib Dem FoP
Donnie Smallhands has woken up to watch Fox and has post this stupid tweet.
Yes Donnie, after our ban on guns, we will now be banning all cars.
(Actually the attack has raised questions over whether plans to pedestrianise the area should be brought back into consideration.)
The two policemen on duty at the barrier directed the public away in case there were explosives. Armed police were there in seconds. The very fact a car was used with only 3 injured make the point that the sort of killing spree seen in the US all too often is unlikely to occur. There was a much publicised gun attack in the UK. A number were injured by shotgun pellets, no fatalities.