Independent News Email Enter your email address Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid Email cannot be used. Try another or register with your social account
A car has crashed into pedestrians and been swarmed by police after an incident right outside London's Houses of Parliament.
Videos show the car smashing through Parliament Square in Westminster, and armed police arriving at the scene within seconds and apprehending a suspect.
Much still remains unclear about the incident, including the identities of anyone involved. But more is expected to become known as the hours and days go on.
As with all breaking news incidents, information is scarce and what information is there is is often unclear. But we will be seeking to round up everything we know for certain about the day's events – and everything we are still yet to find out.
A brief timeline of today's events
At about 7.40am on 14 August, a car is seen careening through Parliament Square. It first crashes into some cyclists, then moves off and through the mix of roads in the square before crashing into a barrier.
Just seconds after, armed police – probably hundreds of officers – swarm on the scene and take the driver out of the vehicle. He appeared to make no effort to resist and had stayed in the car throughout the aftermath.
Soon after that, police get to assembling a cordon around the whole of Parliament Square, and deep into Westminster. The Tube station is shut. People who work inside the cordon are not allowed to go into their offices – and their colleagues who had already arrived are not allowed to leave.
Over the morning, the cordon stays in place as further details are revealed about the incident and its aftermath.
What we know about the suspect
Very little is known about the man who was driving the car, but details are slowly being revealed.
He was wearing a black puffer jacket, and the car he was driving was a silver Ford Fiesta, which remained at the scene. He did not appear to say anything during or after the crash, according to eyewitness reports and videos.
Images posted to social media showed him wearing handcuffs and being led away from the scene soon after police arrived. He is now being held in a South London police station.
There were no weapons or anybody else in the car, police said.
How many injuries have been reported?
The London Ambulance Service has said that it treated three people in total, all with apparently non-life-threatening injuries.
It had said soon after the incident that it had taken two people into hospital. It then added that a third patient with "minor injuries" was treated at the scene.
At least some of those injured are thought to have been among the cyclists who were first hit by the car.
What has the response been from politicians?
Theresa May said her thoughts were with those injured in an incident outside parliament on Tuesday after two people were taken to hospital when a car crashed into security barriers.
Neither of those hurt were believed to have suffered serious injuries. Parliament is in recess and May is currently on holiday outside of the UK.
"My thoughts are with those injured in the incident in Westminster and my thanks to the emergency services for their immediate and courageous response," May said on Twitter.
May will not be attending the COBRA meeting that will take place to co-ordinate the response to the incident later today, because she is on holiday. It will be a meeting of officials and no cabinet members will be there.
What happens next?
The immediate police response to the incident will go on for hours – and the investigation will most likely take months or even years.
An emergency meeting of the government's Cobra committee will be held at 2pm, during which the top-ranking officials in the police and other bodies will discuss the ongoing threat and their response.
And police will have a heavier presence around the country over the coming days.
What happened?
At 07:37 BST a silver Ford Fiesta hatchback crashed into barriers outside Parliament in central London.
Three people were injured and the driver of the car was detained by officers at the scene.
Eyewitnesses have said the car appeared to deliberately hit members of the public.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The car can be seen crashing into a barrier
What happened to the driver?
The driver, a 29-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of terrorist offences and is being held at a south London police station.
He is not believed to be known to MI5 or counter-terrorism police, and is not co-operating with officers.
There was nobody else in the vehicle and no weapons have so far been found.
Security Minister Ben Wallace told the BBC the suspect, who has not been formally identified, was British but originally from another country.
Is anybody hurt?
A man and a woman were treated in hospital for serious injuries but have since been discharged.
A third patient was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
Where did it happen?
The crash occurred in central London outside the Palace of Westminster. Parliament is not currently sitting.
An eyewitness said the vehicle was travelling westbound when it swerved into eastbound traffic.
What action have the police taken?
Police are treating the situation as a terrorist incident and the Met's Counter-Terrorism Command is leading the investigation.
More than 10 police vehicles and at least three ambulances were at the scene outside Parliament - where firearms officers and police sniffer dogs searched the area.
Searches are taking place at two addresses in Birmingham and one address in Nottingham.
Police have released more details about the car's movements before the crash:
The car travelled from Birmingham to London on Monday night, arriving in the capital just after midnight
The vehicle was in the Tottenham Court Road area from approximately 01:25 BST until 05:55. It was then driven around the Westminster and Whitehall area from approximately 06:00 until the incident
Westminster Tube station was closed for entry and exit, and streets around Millbank and Parliament Square cordoned off for several hours after the crash.
The immediate area around the incident remains taped off and screened by white temporary fencing.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption The area around Millbank is on lockdown
Police called on the public to be vigilant and to dial 999 if they see anything suspicious that causes concern.
Scotland Yard's head of counter terrorism Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said there was "no intelligence at this time of further danger" to London or the UK as a whole connected to this incident.
British Transport Police said extra officers, including firearms officers, would be on patrol in England, Scotland and Wales following the attack.
A statement on the House of Commons website said tours of Parliament on Tuesday would resume as soon as possible for visitors who bought tickets in advance.
It advised people to approach the area from the direction of Charing Cross and enter via Portcullis House on Victoria Embankment, which remains open.
What did eyewitnesses see?
Barry Williams, a BBC staff member based at Millbank, said the car drove onto the wrong side of the road and "ploughed" into cyclists waiting at the lights.
"Then it swerved back across the road and accelerated as fast as possible, and hit the barrier at full pelt," he said.
Jason Williams told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme the driver had "driven at speed - more than 40 mph".
He said: "I saw at least 10 people lying down. I was told basically to move away, to run."
"It looked deliberate... it didn't look like an accident," he added.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Witness: "I saw a man drive towards Parliament at speed"
Ewalina Ochab, who also saw the crash, said: "It looked intentional - the car drove at speed and towards the barriers."
She said: "I was walking on the other side of the road. I heard some noise and someone screamed. I turned around and I saw a silver car driving very fast close to the railings, maybe even on the pavement."
The vehicle did not appear to have a front registration plate when it crashed, she added.
How have politicians responded?
The government held a meeting of its Cobra emergency committee on Tuesday afternoon.
The prime minister paid tribute to the "formidable courage" and professionalism of the emergency services who "ran towards a dangerous situation in order to protect the public".
Urging the public to remain vigilant but "carry on as normal", Theresa May added: "For the second time in as many years the home of our democracy, which is a potent symbol of our precious values of tolerance and freedom, has witnessed terrible scenes just yards from its door."
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan thanked those who responded first at the scene and said he was in close contact with the Met Police.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said his thoughts were with those hurt. Praising the emergency services, he said: "Their bravery keeps us safe day in, day out."
Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Huge thanks to our emergency services for their rapid reaction to incident in Westminster this morning. My thoughts are with those injured."
US President Donald Trump tweeted: "Another terrorist attack in London... These animals are crazy and must be dealt with through toughness and strength!"
What happens next?
BBC News home affairs correspondent June Kelly said: "The police will be looking at this man's background, his identity.
"They will be looking at his beliefs, his associates, also his mental state."
Security correspondent for the BBC Frank Gardner added: "We live in a digital age, there are no secrets.
"It'll be out pretty soon what he's been up to, who he's been communicating with, where he's been going, what he's been doing, what he had for breakfast, frankly."
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The car can be seen crashing into a barrier
A man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after a car crashed outside the Houses of Parliament.
The vehicle swerved into cyclists and pedestrians shortly after 07:30 BST, injuring three people.
The 29-year-old suspect is not believed to be known to MI5 or counter-terrorism police, and is not co-operating with officers. Searches are taking place in Birmingham and Nottingham.
Two people were treated in hospital for their injuries but discharged.
Scotland Yard's head of counter terrorism Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said: "Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident."
He added there was "no intelligence at this time of further danger" to London or the UK as a whole.
No-one else was in the car and no weapons have been found.
The government held a meeting of its Cobra emergency committee and the prime minister has paid tribute to the "formidable courage" and professionalism of the emergency services who "ran towards a dangerous situation in order to protect the public".
Urging the public to remain vigilant but "carry on as normal", Theresa May added: "For the second time in as many years the home of our democracy, which is a potent symbol of our precious values of tolerance and freedom, has witnessed terrible scenes just yards from its door."
The suspect, who has not been formally identified, is being held at a south London police station and the vehicle is being searched.
Sources say he is from the Birmingham area.
Security Minister Ben Wallace told the BBC the suspect was British but originally from another country.
Image caption The suspect, on the right of the image, can be seen being taken away by police
Image copyright AFP Image caption Only the area around the scene of the crash remains sealed off
A number of eyewitnesses have said the silver Ford Fiesta, which was travelling westbound in Parliament Square, appeared to deliberately hit members of the public as it swerved into the opposite lane.
Footage released by the BBC shows the moment when the car then crosses over a traffic island in the middle of the road before crashing into the security barriers. A police officer can be seen jumping over another barrier to get out of the way.
Police have released more details about the car's movements before the crash:
The car travelled from Birmingham to London on Monday night, arriving in the capital just after midnight
The vehicle was in the Tottenham Court Road area from approximately 01:25 BST until 05:55. It was then driven around the Westminster and Whitehall area from approximately 06:00 until the incident
Image caption Cyclists were seen on the ground after the crash
Westminster Tube station was closed for entry and exit, and streets around Millbank and Parliament Square cordoned off for several hours after the crash.
The immediate area around the incident remains taped off and screened by white temporary fencing.
Parliament is not currently sitting.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Neil Basu says it appears to have been a deliberate act
A man and a woman were taken to hospital and later discharged, while a third person with minor injuries was assessed at the scene.
'I ran for my life' - eyewitness accounts
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Witness: "I saw a man drive towards Parliament at speed"
Barry Williams, a BBC member of staff based at Millbank, said: "I heard lots of screams and turned round.
"The car went on to the wrong side of the road to where cyclists were waiting at lights and ploughed into them.
"Then it swerved back across the road and accelerated as fast as possible, and hit the barrier at full pelt.
"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."
Another witness, called Kirsty, said: "A car drove the wrong way round the road, drove through about 20 cyclists and crashed."
Jason Williams told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the driver had "driven at speed - more than 40 mph".
He added: "There was smoke coming out of the car...
"I saw at least 10 people lying down. I was told basically to move away, to run. I have run for my life."
Image copyright AFP/Ewalina Ochab Image caption Eyewitness Ewalina Ochab took this picture shortly after the crash
Ewalina Ochab, who also saw the crash, said: "I think it looked intentional - the car drove at speed and towards the barriers."
She said: "I was walking on the other side of the road. I heard some noise and someone screamed. I turned around and I saw a silver car driving very fast close to the railings, maybe even on the pavement."
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Armed police responded after a vehicle crashed into security barriers
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The area around the Houses of Parliament was sealed off
More than 10 police vehicles and at least three ambulances were at the scene outside Parliament - where firearms officers and police sniffer dogs searched the area.
British Transport Police said it was increasing patrols in England, Scotland and Wales and that its officers would be "highly visible on trains and at stations".
Analysis
By Dominic Casciani, BBC News home affairs correspondent
Security arrangements at Parliament have progressively tightened since 2001. In the aftermath of the 7/7 attacks, new truck bomb-proof barriers were installed in an effort to "target harden" Westminster.
These include the reinforced low black rampart-like walls that surround Parliament itself and a highly visible armed police presence.
Visitors need to go through a chicane-like system designed to help armed officers spot suspects. The one significant weak spot was the main vehicle gates - as became apparent in March 2017's one-man attack.
That triggered an internal security review that has led to changes that remain secret - although it's apparent to Londoners that there are now more armed police than ever before patrolling the area.
The threat of terrorism is a constant concern for Parliamentarians - it's not new. The IRA murdered Airey Neave MP in 1979 in a car bomb that exploded within the palace grounds. And the dilemma remains the same: how best to balance security with guaranteeing that the heart of British democracy remains open to the people.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid expressed his gratitude to the emergency services.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was in close contact with police and that he "utterly condemns all acts of terrorism on our city".
And Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the bravery of emergency services "keeps us safe day in, day out".
US President Donald Trump responded to the incident on Twitter, saying: "Another terrorist attack in London... These animals are crazy and must be dealt with through toughness and strength!"
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Forensics officers could be seen at the scene
The Houses of Parliament are surrounded with security barriers of steel and concrete. The measures were extended in the wake of the Westminster Bridge attack in March 2017 when Khalid Masood ploughed a car into crowds on Westminster Bridge, killing four people.
The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said as of the end June 2018 there were 676 live investigations into potential terrorist plots.
He said since March 2017, 13 Islamist plots and four far-right plots had been foiled.
Scotland Yard is asking anyone with information on Tuesday's crash to call 0800 789 321. Anyone with video or pictures of the crash is asked to send them to police.
Did you witness the incident? Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:
Reuters
There has been an attack outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London.
A car crashed into security barriers shortly after 7.30am on Tuesday morning.
Armed police officers were seen surrounding the vehicle before a man was arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.
Cyclists were hit in the crash and London Ambulance Service said it had taken two people to hospital but no-one was seriously hurt.
"Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident" said Neil Basu from the Metropolitan Police.
He added there was "no intelligence at this time of further danger" to London or the UK as a whole.
Upset by the news? Click here for advice to help
No one else was in the car and no weapons have been found so far.
Prime Minister Theresa May said: "My thoughts are with those injured in the incident in Westminster and my thanks to the emergency services for their immediate and courageous response."
The Houses of Parliament are surrounded with security barriers of steel and concrete.
The measures were brought in after the Westminster Bridge attack in March 2017, which killed four people.
