{UAH} Parliament TERROR LOCKDOWN: Car hits cyclists at 40mph - driver arrested, several injured
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Parliament TERROR LOCKDOWN: Car hits cyclists at 40mph - driver arrested, several injured
WESTMINSTER has been placed on lockdown after a car crashed into security barriers installed to stop terror attacks outside the Houses of Parliament, injuring a number of pedestrians.
Parliament: Police respond to car crashed into barriers
Dozens of emergency vehicles swarmed the area and members of public have been ordered to clear the area as as more than 200 police officers descended on the scene within minutes.
Dramatic footage shows dozens of armed police pointing rifles inside the silver Ford car ploughed into the security barriers, which were installed after the 2017 Westminster terror attack.
A number of pedestrians, including a cyclist, have been injured.
Officers have cordoned the whole square and members of the public have been told to move back further as police put up a "Terrorism Act cordon", according to an officer at the scene.
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Horrified witnesses described the moment they heard a "loud bang" at around 7.37am this morning and how the car driving at "more than 40mph" appeared to "deliberately" drive into the bollards.
Jason Williams, 45, from Kennington, was walking to work when he saw the rush hour smash.
He 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."
Mr Williams told how he saw "10 peope lying down" following the incident outside the Houses of Parliament.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "He had driven it at speed - more than 40 mph. 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. I saw at least 10 people lying down.
"I was told basically to move away, to run. I have run for my life."
Met Police tweeted to confirm counter-terror oficers are now leading the investigation, saying: "While we are keeping an open mind, the Met's Counter-Terrorism Command is leading the investigation into the #Westminster incident."
Scotland Yard said a man has been arrested and taken to custody.
Armed officers were seen surrounding the car before a man, wearing a black puffer jacket, was led away in handcuffs.
Police vans were seen rushing through the City of London on their way to Westminster moments after the incident unfolded.
Met Police tweeted: "At 07:37hrs today, Tuesday 14 August, a car was in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament.
"The male driver of the car (no further details) was arrested by officers at the scene.
"A number of pedestrians have been injured. We await an update on their condition, however officers do not believe that anyone is in a life-threatening condition."
More than 10 police vehicles and at least three ambulances remain outside Parliament.
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Firearms officers and at least two police dogs are stationed inside Parliament Square.
An eyewitness said among the injured was at least one cyclist.
Paramedics could be seen tending to the victim near the scene of the crash.
London Ambulance Service said two people had been taken to hospital after sustaining injuries during the smash.
Assistant Director of Operations Peter Rhodes said: "We were called at 7.40am today (14 August) 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.
"We have treated two people at the scene for injuries that are not believed to be serious and have taken them to hospital."
Met Police said: "At this stage, officers do not believe that anybody is in a life-threatening condition. Cordons are in place to assist the investigation. Westminster tube station is closed."
Streets around Parliament Square, Millbank and Victoria Tower Gardens have been cordoned off as dozens of armed police swooped on the scene.
The cordon has been widened twice and sniffer dogs were seen scanning the area.
A series of ambulances and firefighters are on the scene.
Westminster station has been closed for both entry and exit due to the security alert, Transport for London said.
Passengers are still able to change between lines at Westminster.
Scores of commuters on foot and cycling arrived at the police tape trying to get to work.
Workers at Portcullis House have been allowed through the extended cordon and were seen queuing to get into the building.
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'."
He described the incident as "very, very scary", adding that he was feeling "very anxious".
Mr Williams added: "The car was behind me. I didn't see anyone else involved. I just saw this one vehicle, so it seems to be deliberate.
"I was very surprised the police didn't go in straight away. They seemed to be standing back. They were obviously a bit wary, like what's going to happen next?
"I don't know if it was a tip-off, a warning, that this was a bomb. There seems to be maybe about 200 police here now, and it's all happened very quickly in the space of half an hour.'
Parliament: Witness describes what he saw as car crashed
"The police were saying get out, get out of the way."
He added "it seemed to be deliberate".
Another eyewitness Ewalina Ochab descrbed the moment she saw the incident unfold.
She said: "I think it looked intentional - the car drove at speed and towards the barriers.
Bus driver Victor Ogbomo, 49, was driving passengers past the front of Westminster when he saw the crash.
"All I saw was the smoke coming out of a vehicle, a silver vehicle ... I just stopped the bus," he told the Press Association.
"The police said we have to move back, then in less than five minutes the response team came.
"They went to the vehicle, so we had to push back. I saw the car in the barrier, I didn't know how it got there.
"I think someone was inside the vehicle because many police went towards the vehicle."
He said officers had their guns out when they arrested the driver.
"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."
Ms Ochab said "the person driving did not go out" of the vehicle, which did not appear to have a front registration plate when it crashed.
An eyewitness, who gave his name only as James, described how he had been cycling past Parliament shortly after the incident happened.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "There was a cyclist clearly injured on the floor, there was a number of cyclists off their bikes. As I went past, an ambulance turned up.
"As I carried on down I was told to get off my bike by a police officer. He said there'd been an incident. As I looked up as I got off my bike, I saw there was a car in the barrier.
"My natural reaction was to get away from the scene."
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he is in "close contact" with the Police Crime Comissioner.
He tweeted: "I'm in close contact with @MetPoliceUK Commissioner about the incident at Parliament Square this morning. Thank you to the first responders who were on the scene so quickly. Enquiries are continuing. Westminster tube station is currently closed. Follow @metpoliceuk for updates."
MPs have also taken to Twitter to react to the incident, which took place during parliament recess for summer.
David Lammy, Labour MP for Tottenham, said: "Awful news from Westminster. My thoughts are with all those injured. Thanks for a quick response from @metpoliceuk, Parliament security and the London Ambulance Service."
Neil O'Brien Tory MP for Harborough said: "Awful news - thoughts very much with those currently receiving medical treatment, and everyone else affected by this.
"Please remain vigilant if working in/visiting Westminster today."
The Houses of Parliament are surrounded with security barriers of steel and concrete.
The measures were extended in the wake of the Westminster Bridge attack in March 2017 when Khalid Masood ploughed a car into crowds on Westminster Bridge, killing five people, inlcuding a police officer.
Khalid Masood ploughed a 4X4 into crowds before he was shot outside Parliament, injuring 50 people.
Masood abandoned his car then stabbed and killed unarmed Pc Keith Palmer before he was shot by armed police in a courtyard outside Parliament.
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