Police carry out a controlled explosion in Trafalgar Square after evacuating public
Police carry out a controlled explosion in Trafalgar Square after evacuating public in security scare hours before thousands are set to gather at Party at The Palace
Trafalgar Square was evacuated this morning, with police clearing the sceneThey carried out a controlled explosion after a suspicious vehicle was found Officers were redirecting cars and people were told to get out of the area Guests were evacuated out of the The Trafalgar St. James hotel, on the squarePolice said ‘the incident has now been concluded and the square will reopen’ Were you in Trafalgar Square? Email jessica.warren@mailonline.co.uk
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Police have carried out a controlled explosion in Trafalgar Square this morning, after evacuating the public in a security scare — hours before thousands are set to gather at Party at The Palace.
Police tape can be seen in video footage shared from the London site, with officers redirecting cars and people after receiving a call about a suspicious vehicle.
The force has now given the all clear and confirmed that the incident was not terrorism related.
It carried out a controlled explosion, with people reporting a loud band, after a suspicious vehicle had been found.
The road was closed off and pedestrians were being told to get out of the area. The Trafalgar St. James hotel was also evacuated, and the front of the National Gallery — overlooking the square — was locked.
A police vehicle removes a car following a security incident near Trafalgar Square
The car was towed away by officers, after a controlled explosion was organised
Pedestrians were asked to leave the area, with police putting a cordon in place
A police territorial support van was spotted at the scene, as people were evacuated
Officers were redirecting people out of the area, with police tape in place
The road was closed and cars were also being redirected out of the area
There was a controlled explosion, after a suspicious vehicle had been found
Officers were redirecting people down the street. They have now given the all clear
Catherine Strina told MailOnline that she had travelled to London for tonight’s jubilee concert.
‘We were in the Trafalgar Square area and realised something was going on,’ she said. ‘Police told us all we couldn’t go any further, we then heard an explosion so just ran — scary times.’
A journalist at the scene, Jon Hansen, said on Twitter that he was rushed out of The Trafalgar St. James hotel.
‘Vehicle left out overnight,’ he wrote. ‘Saw all four windows of the car smashed out. Told us they were waiting for controlled explosion.
‘They rushed us down the street. When we reached the other side of Trafalgar (around the back) heard loud explosion.’
He said that there was ‘no panic’ and that police kept moving people back.
‘Police seemed to have it under control,’ he wrote. ‘The hotel staff had told us they wanted us all out before the police detonated the suspicious car or perhaps a package inside of it.’
Others also reported hearing a loud bang.
Westminster Police on Twitter said: ‘Officers are currently at Trafalgar Square where they have evacuated the scene. Please do not travel to the area.
‘Police remain on scene. The incident has now been concluded and the square will reopen in due course.’
The force later added: ‘Police attended a report from a member of the public at 09:22hrs of a suspicious vehicle in Trafalgar Square. This was investigated and after police took action we have no further concern. This was not terrorism related.’
The fire brigade were also attending the scene. Ambulance crews are aware of the incident but had not been called.
