Social media users reported on Tuesday morning that a car crash had occurred near the British parliament, with a vehicle hitting several pedestrians and ramming into the security barriers. According to the Mirror, armed police surrounded the vehicle after the crash and pulled the driver out. According to investigators, the car crashed into the barriers "at up to 50mph."
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) 14 августа 2018 г.
— Vincent McAviney (@VinnyMcAv) 14 августа 2018 г.
Several pedestrians were injured in the incident, though none were in a life-threatening condition, the Metropolitan Police stated. The London ambulance service reported that two people had been treated at the scene of the incident.
Prime Minister Theresa May has taken to Twitter after the incident, thanking security services for their work and saying her thoughts were "with those injured in the incident."
"My thoughts are with those injured in the incident in Westminster and my thanks to the emergency services for their immediate and courageous response." — PM @theresa_may
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) 14 августа 2018 г.
The Met's Counter-Terrorism Command has launched an investigation into a collision of a car with security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, the Metropolitan Police said on Tuesday. The driver of the car has been arrested on suspicion of terrorist offenses.
Metropolitan Police anti-terrorism chief Neil Basu said that the suspect in the Westminster car ramming attack was not cooperating and that he was not previously known to police.
"Our priority now is to formally establish the identity of the suspect and establish his motivation if we can. He is not currently cooperating… On the details that we have at the moment we don't believe this person is known to either MI5 or counter-terrorism police," Basu said.
