A car has smashed into barriers surrounding the UK parliament in London, injuring two passers-by.
What happened
The incident took place shortly before 8am on the main road between the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
A silver Ford Focus sped down the street, striking a group of cyclists before smashing into a concrete barrier designed to thwart vehicle bombs.
“He made no attempt to slow down as he hit the cyclists,” said Robert Nicholson, 36, who was on his way to work. “There was a bike flying into the air.”
Video captured by Euronews correspondent Vincent McAviney showed the light-coloured vehicle, its bonnet crumpled in the road. A man was dragged from the car by police and arrested.
Police moved bystanders away from the scene and closed roads in the area.
Ewelina Ochab witnessed the incident and told Euronews: “I was walking on the other side of the pavement from where the incident occurred. I heard some noise, and someone screamed. I turned around and I saw a silver car driving from the crossing – very fast and close to the railings, maybe even on the pavement.
“The car drove at speed into the barriers outside the House of Lords. There was a loud bang from the collision and a bit of smoke.
“The driver did not get out. The guards started screaming to people to move away. One elderly man rushed me to hide behind a monument, just in case. The police arrived very quickly.”
The injured
London Ambulance Service said two people had been treated for injuries that were not believed to be serious.
The suspect
The male driver of the vehicle was arrested in the car. Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation but say they are keeping an open mind about how the incident occured. Witnesses told Euronews that the crash appeared to be deliberate.
Reactions
Politicians and Londoners paid tribute to the work of the emergency services.
