Following the recent brutal attacks on London Bridge and in the Borough Market, along with the horrendous blaze in the Grenfell Tower, London had one more unnerving event on Friday morning. Officers with the London Metropolitan Police were forced to use a Taser on a man close to the Palace of Westminster as the suspect appeared to reach for a knife. As reported by the International Business Times, the latest incident happened only a short distance from where PC Keith Palmer was stabbed and killed in another terror attack in Westminster during March this year.

Witnesses heard the words “knife, knife” in Westminster, London

Witnesses at the scene saw armed police officers running towards a man outside the Parliament buildings, with passers-by shouting the words “knife, knife.” Police officers used a taser to subdue the suspect and took him into custody. According to a Metropolitan Police spokesman, the incident is not believed to be terror-related and no one was injured in the incident. The man they arrested was said to be bearded and in his 30s and was arrested for possession of a knife.

Incident was over within seconds as the suspect was subdued

According to one witness, 19-year-old Bradley Allen of Barking, a man was standing outside the Parliament buildings with fists clenched and looking angry shortly before it happened and the man was soon arrested.

The suspect reportedly stared at Allen and his friend as they walked past him and within seconds they heard police shouting at the man to get down on the ground. According to Allen, there were armed police everywhere, calling on the public to move back, which they did, and the whole incident was over within seconds.

London Metropolitan Police said in a statement that they led the suspect away from the scene after questioning him outside the Houses Of Parliament for approximately 30 minutes.

The suspect is now in custody at a police station in central London.

Security is tight around the Houses of Parliament since terror attack

Security in the area surrounding the Houses of Parliament and Westminster, in general, was increased after Khalid Masood stabbed PC Keith Palmer to death in March, where he stood guard outside the gates of the building.

Masood was shot dead soon after he killed the officer. This incident occurred after Masood drove onto Westminster Bridge, plowing into pedestrians and killing four people and injuring more than 50 more with his vehicle. A permanent barrier has since been put in place to protect pedestrians from similar incidents.

The Evening Standard reports that a Parliamentary spokesman said in a statement that they are aware of the incident in Westminster and that it is being handled by the London Metropolitan Police.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED