Car drives into barrier outside Britain's Parliament, injuring 2 bystanders


At a little after 7:30 Tuesday morning in London, a car crashed into a security barrier outside Britain's Parliament building, injuring at least two pedestrians, neither seriously. There was a large and rapid response from armed police officers, and the male driver was arrested without incident. "While we are keeping an open mind," Scotland Yard said in a statement, "the Met's Counter-Terrorism Command is leading the investigation into the Westminster incident." Parliament is not in session, but the area around Parliament Square and subway stations in the area were closed to the public.
BBC staffer Barry Williams told BBC News he witnessed the crash. "The car went onto the wrong side of the road to where cyclists were waiting at lights and ploughed into them," he said. "Then it swerved back across the road and accelerated as fast as possible and hit the barrier at full pelt. It was a small silver car and he hit it at such speed the car actually lifted off the ground and bounced. Then the police just jumped. Two officers managed to leap over the security barriers and then the armed police vehicles all sped towards the scene." Security barriers around Parliament were beefed up after a driver deliberately plowed into pedestrians on nearby Westminster Bridge in March 2017, killing four people.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
6 peaceful homes near small towns
Feature Featuring doors with local topographical maps in Oregon and a 1850s homestead-turned-house in Vermont
-
What would happen to Earth if humans went extinct?
The Explainer Human extinction would potentially give rise to new species and climates
-
The best TV shows based on movies
The Week Recommends A handful of shows avoid derivative storytelling and craft bold narrative expansions
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read