A series of attacks in Central London that is known at the moment
Two incidents took place in Central London: around the same time, the car knocked down several people on Westminster bridge and were fired near the building of the British Parliament. What is known about the incident at this point in the review of RBC.
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What happened
At about 17:40 GMT in a London police received reports of gunfire on Westminster bridge, which is located next to the British Parliament. The incident was called “the incident involving the use of weapons.” At first, according to Reuters, at least 12 people were injured. The Parliament building was closed, his work suspended.
We were called at approx 2:40pm to reports of an incident at #Westminster Bridge. Being treated as a firearms incident – police on scene
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 22, 2017
Immediately it became known that the alleged assailant managed to injure a police officer with a knife, then was shot. “There is also evidence of further violent incidents would be wrong of me to go into detail until the confirmation of the police”, — said the leader of the house of Commons, David Lidington.
“Witnesses reported panic among tourists and that one person care. It was reported that a man with a knife attacked police officers before the shots were fired”, — said the newspaper Evening Standard.
The Guardian reported that there is also evidence that the car hit several people on Westminster bridge. Sky News, citing an eyewitness reported that he saw a car that hit a man outside the Parliament building.
Paramedics desperately trying to revive injured in New Palace Yard pic.twitter.com/esmQtULO9q
— Libby Wiener (@LibbyWienerITV) March 22, 2017
Later it turned out that the car, driven by an unknown, ran over pedestrians before he crashed into the fence around the grounds of Parliament, then the assailant got out of the car and attacked the police with a knife, but was shot. According to reports, got under the wheels, at least five people.
The exact number of victims is not currently known.
How are accidents
According to Sky News, the shooting incidents and the vehicle can be connected. The TV station reported that the car was driven over Westminster bridge, then drove on the sidewalk, knocking a few people drove to Parliament, where she was stopped by a police officer.
A man struck a police officer stabbed and was shot by another COP. While it remains unknown how many people were in the car. If there are several, the others could get away with.
London police stated that it considers the incident as a “terrorist incident until proven otherwise.”
Incident in #Westminster: We are treating this as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 22, 2017
The reaction of the authorities
The Parliament building was immediately cordoned off, According to The Guardian, at least eight armed policemen escorted Prime Minister Theresa may in a few minutes after the incident and put her in the car a few dozen meters from the building. She is out of danger.
The Parliament session was interrupted.
Deputy speaker announces UK Houses of Parliament is suspended after incident on Westminster Bridge https://t.co/WG8yXWpPVV pic.twitter.com/0SpfNcjAIv
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) March 22, 2017
Several streets and Westminster station closed, the city Department of transport and police are asking residents to refrain from trips through the area of the Parliament. In the area of the accident is evacuation of people.
The movement of trains in the British capital and its suburbs are scheduled, the London airports are also on schedule.
The reaction in Russia
According to preliminary information, among the victims were not Russians.
To ATTENTION of CITIZENS of RUSSIA pic.twitter.com/QWLpF7onR8
— Russian Embassy (@RussianEmbassyR) March 22, 2017
Official representative of the Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova expressed condolences and sympathy “to all those who were injured, relatives of all those who died in the course of this aggressive forays”.
“We do not divide terrorism on any grounds, we qualify this as a definite evil. At this point, as always, our hearts are together with the British, we share their pain, and again talking about the need to counter this evil,” she said in the TV channel “Russia 24”.
Shooting at the building of the British Parliament
Meanwhile the cordon for pedestrians is at Downing St #Westminster #Parliament @BBCRadioLondon pic.twitter.com/EiX4aWh7Pd
— Anna O’neill (@Annareporting) 22 Mar 2017
BREAKING: a Cordon outside parliament extended for third time. The closest you can get now is Horseferry Road pic.twitter.com/onlm8EF9ej
— Ross Kempsell (@rosskempsell) 22 Mar 2017
Police shoot ‘knife-wielding man’ at parliament after car mows down five people on Westminster Bridge https://t.co/upgf3dH2G1 pic.twitter.com/Qzw7Xv8f6e
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) 22 Mar 2017
Helicopter footage of the scene in #Westminster after a firearms incident. @AliBunkallSKY with the latest pic.twitter.com/LcKNC75XuS
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 22, 2017
Paramedics desperately trying to revive injured in New Palace Yard pic.twitter.com/esmQtULO9q
— Libby Wiener (@LibbyWienerITV) 22 Mar 2017
A car on Westminster Bridge has just mowed down at least 5 people. pic.twitter.com/tdCR9I0NgJ
— Radosław Sikorski (@sikorskiradek) 22 Mar 2017
London air ambulance arrives in Parliament Square after the incident at the Palace of Westminster (via @ptr_yeung) pic.twitter.com/tpqjcU4CXl
— Gabardicle (@Gabardicle6) 22 Mar 2017
Air ambulance landing in Parliament square pic.twitter.com/qmAUpyuNkN
— Alistair Bunkall (@AliBunkallSKY) 22 Mar 2017