LONDON – London was hit by a terrorist attack on Wednesday.
At least four people have died and at least twenty are injured after a car drove into dozens of people on crowded Westminster Bridge and an attacker tried to break into Parliament with a knife.
The attacker stabbed a police officer, who has now died, before being fatally shot by police.
The Metropolitan Police are currently treating the incidents as terrorist attacks. It occurred on the anniversary of the Brussels airport terror attack.
Here is how the attack unfolded.
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES FOLLOW.
The incident began on Westminster Bridge on Tuesday at 2.40 pm G.M.T., when a car ran into several civilians.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The car injured at least a dozen people on Westminster Bridge, including three French school children on a trip.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Victims of the car attack have not yet been named. They were taken to the nearby St. Thomas’ Hospital. One victim died there.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Sky News reports that one civilian (not pictured) jumped into the Thames in order to escape from the attack. She has reportedly been recovered from the river alive.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Radosław Sikorski, a Polish politician, captured the scene on Westminster Bridge moments after the attack, reporting that he saw at least five people injured.
-
A car on Westminster Bridgehas just mowed down at least 5 people. pic.twitter.com/tdCR9I0NgJ
— RadosÅaw Sikorski (@sikorskiradek) March22, 2017
A car on Westminster Bridgehas just mowed down at least 5 people. pic.twitter.com/tdCR9I0NgJ
Shortly afterwards, a car crashed into railings outside the Houses of Parliament. It was reportedly the same vehicle involved in the bridge attack. Twitter user Luke Steele uploaded the image below:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
There's been a shooting / stabbing at Parliament. Stay safe everyone. pic.twitter.com/Fb2LNXfLh5
— Luke Steele (@Lukesteele4) March 22, 2017
Moments after the car crashed, Metropolitan police shot an unidentified person in Parliament’s New Palace Yard. The man had entered the grounds of Parliament and stabbed a police officer with a knife.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Journalist Quentin Letts, who witnessed the incident, said: “I saw a fairly thick-set man wearing black clothes running through the open gates, the security gates where people drive their cars.”
Letts added: “He started beating a policeman who had fallen over on the ground. The policeman managed to shake him off and the attacker then ran towards the entrance of the House of Commons, which is used by our members of Parliament and he got about 15 yards before the authorities responded.”
Emergency services who arrived at the scene reported “catastrophic injuries.” A statement from the London Ambulance Service said: “We can confirm we have treated at least 10 patients on Westminster Bridge and have put a number of hospitals on alert as we continue to respond to this incident. We were called at 2.40pm today, with the first ambulance crew arriving within six minutes.”
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The area around Westminster Bridge was cordoned off by armed police immediately.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
A witness close to Westminster Bridge told Business Insider that there were “lots of sirens” and “people running” at the scene.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The area surrounding the Palace of Westminster was also cordoned off.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
An air ambulance landed on Parliament Square carrying paramedics.
-
VIDEO London HelicopterEmergency Medical Services landing near parliament in Westminsterafter firearms incident (footage: Gary Kittle) pic.twitter.com/XNuZTsg2vW
— AIRLIVE (@airlivenet) March22, 2017
VIDEO London HelicopterEmergency Medical Services landing near parliament in Westminsterafter firearms incident (footage: Gary Kittle) pic.twitter.com/XNuZTsg2vW
Paramedics tried to revive the injured in New Palace Yard, Westminster.
Paramedics desperately trying to revive injured in New Palace Yard pic.twitter.com/esmQtULO9q
— Libby Wiener (@LibbyWienerITV) March 22, 2017
Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood (centre) — a former soldier — helped emergency services attend to the injured police officer.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
According to the Telegraph, Ellwood attempted to give the officer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and stemmed the blood flow by applying pressure to the wounds. The BBC reports that the officer in question has now died.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Armed police swarmed the area, including specialist counter-terrorism officers like the man pictured running here.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The police set up a guard next to the statue of Winston Churchill.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Facebook quickly activated its “Safety Check” in London, which lets people tell their loved ones they are OK.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
This is the first photo of the suspected attacker being carried away from New Palace Yard.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Many peers from the House of Lords — along with parliamentary staff and a handful of MPs — were evacuated to nearby Westminster Abbey. Pictured, a Metropolitan Police superintendent addresses the crowd from the pulpit at the Abbey.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The bulk of MPs were evacuated to Westminster Hall, where they remained as of 6.30 pm G.M.T.
Police appeal for video footage from hundreds of MPs, peers and members of the public in Westminster Hall now pic.twitter.com/4anIQLptFe
— Christopher Hope (@christopherhope) March 22, 2017
As of 6.30 p.m. GMT on Wednesday, police are yet to confirm that the incident is officially over.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Commander BJ Harrington of the Metropolitan Police made a statement on the incident outside of New Scotland Yard. He confirmed that the matter is being treated as a terrorist incident.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Prime Minister Theresa May will chair a meeting of the emergency COBRA committee to discuss the government’s immediate response to the incident.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Het bericht How the fatal Westminster terror attack in London unfolded and what we know so far verscheen eerst op Business Insider.