Terror probe as man with weapon arrested outside Buckingham Palace
Counter-terror police are investigating after two police officers were injured while arresting a man with a knife outside Buckingham Palace.Officers saw a "large bladed weapon" in the man's car when it stopped near the palace on Friday evening.As they arrested him, both men suffered minor arm injuries, police said.The 26-year-old man was also treated for minor injuries. He was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and assault, and under the Terrorism Act.No members of the Royal Family were in Buckingham Palace at the time.The incident happened outside the Mall roundabout near Spur Road - which runs along the corner of the Palace grounds - at about 20:35 BST, police said. The man had stopped his car in a "restricted area" and police saw the weapon.
Det Supt Guy Collings said the "quick and brave" actions of the officers meant the man was detained very quickly, and that no members of the public had any contact with him.The two officers and the suspect had all since been discharged from hospital and the suspect was taken to a central London police station for questioning, police said.Enquiries into the full circumstances are ongoing, they added, and there was still a police cordon at the scene.
Eye-witness Kiana Williamson said: "We turned up and there was one police van and one car; there was also a civilian's car that had veered towards the police car."They were trying to get the man out of the car, shouting; more police were arriving on to the scene and the man was fighting back."I saw one injured policeman with an injury to his arm, although it didn't look severe."He was being tended to by another officer."The man had been restrained and looked almost unconscious by the side of the road."Another passer-by, who did not want to be named, said her partner initially thought he had seen a sword.She told the Press Association: "The police didn't just run up to the car. There was some shouting prior to this; I couldn't tell you what, I was a bit panicked..."My partner saw a sword, which I didn't see, as well as a policeman with blood on him, looking like his hand or chest was injured."The police officer had it in his hand, walking away with it."