Man suspected of possessing knife detained near UK parliament

No reports of injuries in incident at Westminster, scene of fatal knife attack in March

British police fired a Taser stun gun at a man who reached for a knife outside parliament on Friday (June 16), police said.

British armed police detained a man on suspicion of having a knife near parliament on Friday, police said.

Eyewitnesses said a large number of police responded to the incident and the gates, where the Westminster Bridge attacker killed a police officer, were quickly closed.

A man wearing a grey hoodie was being detained by three officers, with four or five other armed officers patrolling the area nearby. A police van and ambulance was also stationed nearby.

Eyewitnesses said the man had been Tasered after shouts of “knife, knife, knife” but that has not yet been independently verified.

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Metal barriers were quickly put in place along the front of the Houses of Parliament, blocking public access to the pavement in front of the building.

Metropolitan police said in a statement: “At 11.10am on Friday a man was detained near to the Palace of Westminster. The man – aged in his 30s – was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife. There are no reports of any injuries.”

Guardian service