Westminster crash: Counter-terror police lead investigation - what we know so far
A man in his late 20s is arrested on suspicion of terrorist offences after a car hits cyclists and pedestrians in Westminster.
Tuesday 14 August 2018 17:04, UK
A man has been arrested after a car hit cyclists and pedestrians and crashed into security barriers outside parliament.
This is what we know so far:
:: The driver of the car, a man in his late 20s, was arrested at the scene by armed officers on suspicion of terrorist offences. He was wearing a black puffer jacket and was led away in handcuffs. He is being held at a south London police station.
:: Police said the suspect was "not currently co-operating", and they had not formally identified him. He does not appear to be known to either MI5 or counter-terrorism policing. According to Sky sources, he is believed to be from the Midlands.
:: Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, who leads counter-terrorism policing in the UK, said the incident "appears to be a deliberate act".
:: The Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command is leading the investigation. It is being treated as a "terrorist incident".
:: Witnesses said the crash looked deliberate. The car is said to have been driven at speed, and to have lifted off the ground when it hit the barriers.
:: No other suspects at the scene have been identified or reported to police.
:: There is "no intelligence at this time of further danger to Londoners, or the rest of the UK, connected to this incident", Mr Basu said.
:: Two people were taken to hospital, one of whom, a man, has since been discharged. A woman is being treated for serious but non life-threatening injuries at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington. Another man, who was treated at the scene, did not need to go to hospital.
:: Scotland Yard said the car was "in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament" at 7.37am.
:: The Ford Fiesta "collided with a number of cyclists and pedestrians".
:: There was no one else in the vehicle, and officers have not found any weapons so far.
:: At lunchtime, cordons along Victoria Embankment were lifted and Parliament Square and Whitehall reopened. But the immediate area around the incident was still taped off.
:: 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. I turned around and I saw a silver car driving very fast close to the railings, maybe even on the pavement."
:: Another witness, Jason Williams, said: "I saw a car going at high speed towards Parliament.
"It hit a bollard. It looked deliberate. It didn't look like an accident. How do you do that by accident? It was a loud bang."