A vehicle crashed into the gates of 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and a man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and reckless driving. CCTV footage showed a handcuffed man being taken away by armed Met Police officers.
A vehicle crashed into the gates of 10 Downing Street in London, the official residence of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on Thursday. The Metropolitan Police has since announced that a man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and reckless driving.
According to insiders from 10 Downing Street, Sunak was in his office at the time of the incident but quickly exited from another exit for a pre-scheduled departure shortly after the crash.
Even though the cordons that had been set around the street by the police have now been lifted, armed personnel are still standing guard at the office of the Prime Minister as is customary.
It has been reported that anti-terrorism investigators are not currently taking part in the continuing investigations being conducted by the police.
According to a statement released by the Met Police, a collision between a vehicle and the gates of Downing Street on Whitehall occurred at approximately 16:20 (local time).
A man was taken into custody by armed police officers at the scene of the accident on suspicion of criminal damage and hazardous driving. There have been no reports of anybody getting hurt. According to the police, investigations are still taking place.
Pictures were taken of law enforcement officials looking through the trunk of the vehicle and taking out a huge white sheet. Whitehall, which is the most important political hub in London and is located between Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square, was observed to have officers winding down a heightened security operation.
Those working inside 10 Downing Street were initially instructed to remain within the building, but they were shortly observed leaving their desks. This included those working in the Cabinet Office, which is located directly adjacent to 10 Downing Street.
At the same time, photographs that were shared on social media showed a silver Kia passenger car that had its trunk open crashing into the gates of Downing Street. The gates of Downing Street are always protected by considerable barricades and a sturdy double-barrel black iron gate.
As CCTV footage began to surface, it was possible to make out a handcuffed man with a stocky build and white hair being brought away by armed Met Police officers. Before the suspect was taken into custody, witnesses stated that they heard a blast and the officers shouting at the suspect while the taser guns were used.
After some time had passed, photographs were taken of law enforcement officials checking the trunk of the vehicle and taking out a large white sheet. The CCTV footage of the incident that was being broadcast on television showed a little silver hatchback driving out of a parking lot close to the Ministry of Defense (MoD) building, crossing Whitehall, and then suddenly stopping before driving ahead and directly into the gates of Downing Street.
Since the threat posed by the terrorist Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the 1990s, the security around one of the most iconic avenues in the world has been increased significantly.
The primary gates are kept closed at all times behind additional movable barriers and are only opened momentarily for any official vehicles that need to enter or exit the street.
Every person who enters Downing Street must go through a series of rigorous inspections at a side gate. The event took place a few days after an Indian-American man, 19, drove his truck into a security barrier close to the White House.
Late on Monday night, Sai Varshith Kandula rammed a rented U-Haul box truck into barriers in Lafayette Square, which is just a few steps away from the White House. Kandula is suspected of having admired Adolf Hitler. The collision did not result in any injuries, and the rental car was searched thoroughly, but no explosives were discovered there.
