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| Armed police respond outside Parliament during an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017. (Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) |
A policeman was stabbed, an assailant shot and several people injured on Wednesday close to Britain’s Houses of Parliament in what police said they were treating as a terrorist incident.
Reuters reporters inside the building heard loud bangs and shortly afterwards a Reuters photographer said he saw at least a dozen people injured on Westminster Bridge, next to parliament.
His photographs showed people lying on the ground, some of them bleeding heavily and one apparently under a bus. The number of casualties was unclear.
“Officers – including firearms officers – remain on the scene and we are treating this as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
The House of Commons, which was in session at the time, was immediately suspended and lawmakers were asked to stay inside.
Reuters reporters inside the building heard loud bangs and shortly afterwards a Reuters photographer said he saw at least a dozen people injured on Westminster Bridge, next to parliament.
His photographs showed people lying on the ground, some of them bleeding heavily and one apparently under a bus. The number of casualties was unclear.
“Officers – including firearms officers – remain on the scene and we are treating this as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
The House of Commons, which was in session at the time, was immediately suspended and lawmakers were asked to stay inside.
Prime Minister Theresa May was safe after the incident, a spokesman for her office said. He declined to say where May was when the attack took place.
The leader of the House, David Lidington, said in the chamber that an assailant who stabbed a policeman had been shot by police.
An ambulance helicopter landed on Parliament Square, just outside the building.
The BBC said police believed there was a suspect vehicle outside parliament but police did not immediately confirm that report.
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| A policeman points a gun at a man on the floor as emergency services attend the scene outside the Palace of Westminster, London, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. London police say they are treating a gun and knife incident at Britain’s Parliament “as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise.” The Metropolitan Police says in a statement that the incident is ongoing. It is urging people to stay away from the area. Officials say a man with a knife attacked a police officer at Parliament and was shot by officers. Nearby, witnesses say a vehicle struck several people on the Westminster Bridge. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP). |
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| In this image taken from video police officers gather around a car adjacent to Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, March 23, 2017 after the House of Commons sitting was suspended as witnesses reported sounds like gunfire outside. The leader of Britain’s House of Commons says a man has been shot by police at Parliament. David Liddington also said there were “reports of further violent incidents in the vicinity.” (ITN via AP) |
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| Emergency services transport an injured person to an ambulance, close to the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. London police say they are treating a gun and knife incident at Britain’s Parliament “as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise.” The Metropolitan Police says in a statement that the incident is ongoing. Officials say a man with a knife attacked a police officer at Parliament and was shot by officers. Nearby, witnesses say a vehicle struck several people on the Westminster Bridge. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) |
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| Emergency services staff provide medical attention close to the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. London police say they are treating a gun and knife incident at Britain’s Parliament “as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise.” The Metropolitan Police says in a statement that the incident is ongoing. Officials say a man with a knife attacked a police officer at Parliament and was shot by officers. Nearby, witnesses say a vehicle struck several people on the Westminster Bridge. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) |
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| Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, centre, stands amongst the emergency services at the scene outside the Palace of Westminster, London, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. London police say they are treating a gun and knife incident at Britain’s Parliament “as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise.” The Metropolitan Police says in a statement that the incident is ongoing. It is urging people to stay away from the area. Officials say a man with a knife attacked a police officer at Parliament and was shot by officers. Nearby, witnesses say a vehicle struck several people on the Westminster Bridge. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP). |
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| Emergency personnel tend to an injured person close to the Palace of Westminster, London, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. London police say officers called to a ‘firearms incident’ on Westminster Bridge, near Parliament. The leader of Britain’s House of Commons says a man has been shot by police at Parliament. David Liddington also said there were “reports of further violent incidents in the vicinity.” Britain’s MI5 says it is too early to say if the incident is terror-related. (Yui Mok/PA via AP). |
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| Armed police respond outside Parliament during an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017. (Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) |
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| Emergency services at the scene outside the Palace of Westminster, London, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. London police say they are treating a gun and knife incident at Britain’s Parliament “as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise.” The Metropolitan Police says in a statement that the incident is ongoing. It is urging people to stay away from the area. Officials say a man with a knife attacked a police officer at Parliament and was shot by officers. Nearby, witnesses say a vehicle struck several people on the Westminster Bridge. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP). |
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| Eyewitnesses reported seeing a car crash into crowds on Westminster Bridge (Picture: Yui Mok/PA via AP) |
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| Emergency services staff provide medical attention close to the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. London police say they are treating a gun and knife incident at Britain’s Parliament “as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise.” Officials say a man with a knife attacked a police officer at Parliament and was shot by officers. There are also reports of a vehicle hitting pedestrians on nearby Westminster Bridge. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) |
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| Emergency services work at the scene of a crashed car close to the Houses of Parliament, London, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. (Yui Mok/PA via AP) |
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| Armed police officers enter the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, March 23, 2017 after the House of Commons sitting was suspended as witnesses reported sounds like gunfire outside.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) |
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| Injured people are assisted after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. (Toby Melville /Reuters) |
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| Roads are closed off by police after sounds similar to gunfire have been heard close to the Houses of Parliament, London, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. The UK House of Commons sitting has been suspended as witnesses report sounds like gunfire outside. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP) |
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| A woman lies injured after a shottingt incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. (Toby Melville /Reuters) |
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| An air ambulance lands in Parliament Square during an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017. (Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) |
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| A woman assist an injured person after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. (Toby Melville /Reuters) |
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| Injured people are assisted after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. (Toby Melville /Reuters) |
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| An armed police officer stands on Parliament Square outside of the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, March 23, 2017 after the House of Commons sitting was suspended as witnesses reported sounds like gunfire outside.(Picture: AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) |
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| An Air Ambulance on the scene after sounds similar to gunfire have been heard close to the Houses of Parliament, (Picture: Victoria Jones/PA via AP) |
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| An armed police officer gets out of a car inside a police cordon outside the Houses of Parliament in central London on March 22, 2017 during an emergency incident. (Daniel Leal-Olivas /AFP/Getty Images) |
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| Police officers surround two individuals on the ground inside the gates of the Houses of Parliament near the entrance, left, in London, U.K. on Wednesday, March 22, 2017. Shots were fired outside Parliament in London, and at least two people are being treated, according to a Bloomberg reporter on the scene. Photographer: Robert Hutton/Bloomberg via Getty Images |
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| London’s air ambulance arrives at the Houses of Parliament in central London on March 22, 2017 during an emergency incident. Britain’s Houses of Parliament were in lockdown on Wednesday after staff said they heard shots fired, triggering a security alert. (Daniel Leal-Olivas /AFP/Getty Images) |
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| In this image taken from video emergency personnel gather around a body on the southside of Westminster Bridge that leads to the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, March 23, 2017 after the House of Commons sitting was suspended as witnesses reported sounds like gunfire outside. The leader of Britain’s House of Commons says a man has been shot by police at Parliament. David Liddington also said there were “reports of further violent incidents in the vicinity.” (ITN via AP) |
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