A suspect ran in through gates and made it a few metres into the Parliamentary estate before he was stopped and Tasered to the ground shortly before midday today. He shouted ‘coming for you politicians’ before he was put in a police van and driven away,
He was put in a police van and driven away, witnesses said. The suspect was bundled to the cobbles of New Palace Yard, not far from where Westminster terror attack Khalid Masood murdered PC Keith Palmer last year. The incident, which is not currently being treated as terror-related, will raise further questions about security around the Houses of Parliament, following a series of terror attacks.
How did he get in? Security questions as man shouting ‘we’re coming for you politicians’ breaches Parliament gates before he is Tasered to floor just yards from where PC Keith Palmer was killed
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Police taser a man to the ground inside the gates of Parliament this afternoon
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He reportedly shouted ‘coming for you politicians’ after he was floored
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Scotland Yard says the man came in through the gates on New Palace Yard
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The incident will raise further concerns about security around Parliament
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Do you know who the man is? Email richard.spillett@mailonline.co.uk or tips@dailymail.com
Armed police tasered an intruder and pinned him to the ground after he got in through the gates of Parliament this morning.
The man was bundled to the cobbles of New Palace Yard, not far from where Westminster terror attacker Khalid Masood murdered PC Keith Palmer last year.
The suspect is said to have ran in through gates as a taxi drove out. He made it a few metres into the Parliamentary estate before he was stopped and Tasered to the ground.
He shouted ‘we’re coming for you politicians’ before he was put in a police van and driven away, witnesses said.
The incident, which is not currently being treated as terror-related, will raise further questions about security around the Houses of Parliament, following a series of terror attacks.
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One witness told The Independent: ‘I heard police shouting – at first I thought they were just shouting at tourists to stay back – but there was a guy stood just inside the gates facing [away from Parliament].
‘He was just stood there with his arms out being approached by lots of police and wasn’t responding to the screams. I heard a crack, which I guess was the Taser because I saw the Taser wires after, and he went down and very quickly they were all on him.’
Pictures from the scene show the man – who was wearing a black cap, a green jacket and jeans – pinned to the ground with three officers around him.
One of the policemen was aiming a gun at his head, another had used the Taser and a third held a bato
Another eyewitness said: ‘I saw a guy fall to the floor and he was on the floor surrounded by armed officers. He was shouting something.
‘He had been Tasered, you could see the wires. I did not hear the police shouting anything, but that could be because of all the commotion.
‘They handcuffed him and got him to his feet, then unzipped his jacket to see if he had anything hidden on him
‘Everybody was just watching, surprised that something like this was happening. Two armed police cars, BMW X5s turned up and armed police came out of the grounds and told us to get back. They then set up cordons around the entrance.’
The police confirmed a suspect was detained inside the Carriage Gates on suspicion of trespassing on a protected site
Tourists gathered around the Carriage Gates and took photos as the suspect was led away.
Many political journalists also rushed to the scene from their offices in the Houses of Parliament.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘A man was detained and arrested by Carriage Gates inside the Palace of Westminster on suspicion of trespassing at a protected site, at around 11.55am on Tuesday, 11 December.
‘A Taser was deployed. Enquiries into the circumstances continue.’
A House of Commons spokesman said: ‘We are aware of a situation outside the Palace of Westminster that was handled by the Met Police and is now over.’
The Palace of Westminster estate carried on as usual during this morning’s incident.
‘There hasn’t been a lockdown at any point,’ a House of Commons spokesman told MailOnline.
All public roads also remained open as officers restrained the suspect and led him away.
Christopher Hope, of the Daily Telegraph, told the BBC: ‘I heard a scream and then looked out the window, and then about half a dozen police officers who appeared not to be armed were running towards a man.
‘And then it appears the man was Tasered. It appears to be contained now. There are armed police patrolling downstairs by the Christmas tree.’
Luke Pollard MP tweeted: ‘Media are reporting an incident in Parliament. Me and my team in Westminster are safe and well. A timely reminder of the dedication and professionalism of the Police who keep our democracy safe. Thank you.’
How did he get in? Police probe how intruder breached Parliament’s gates
Police are today investigating how an intruder managed to get through the gates of Parliament despite beefed up security measures following the murder of PC Keith Palmer.
The suspect managed to run a few yards inside the gates before he was shot with a Taser and pinned to the ground.
It is understood he was able to sprint into New Palace Yard when officers opened the Carriage Gates to let in a black cab.
Armed Police outside the Carriage Gates where the incident happened at around 11am
His arrest happened feet from where PC Palmer was stabbed to death by Khalid Masood in March 2017.
Police beefed up security after his murder but are today investigating how another intruder made it through the giant iron gates guarded by armed police.
A Met spokesman told MailOnline: ‘We are looking at the circumstances’.
Masood was able to run through Parliament’s open Carriage Gate before he was shot dead.
He had already killed four others using a car on Westminster Bridge.
Today’s incident unfolded just yards from where terrorist Khalid Masood killed PC Keith Palmer in March 2017
In April 2017 – three weeks after PC Palmer’s death – a new larger and taller black iron security gates covered in wire mesh were installed.
They are now permanently closed unless a car requires access, but this was not the case when PC Palmer was murdered.
It is understood today’s Tasered man may have run in when a vehicle was given access.
A security review two years before PC Keith Palmer’s death concluded that the gate where he was stationed was ‘vulnerable’ because it was manned by unarmed officers.
But the Houses of Parliament threat assessment was never passed on to police on the ground.
