Downing Street crash suspect 'looked like he'd had a bad day'
A motorist drove a car into the gates of Downing Street at low speed, prompting a security lockdown of the Prime Minister’s residence.
Video footage showed the 14-year-old silver Kia Ceed being driven straight at the metal gates protecting Downing Street at “about 2mph”.
As it reached the pavement, it slowed down almost to a stop before gently hitting the gates.
Witnesses said they heard a bang before armed police officers surrounded the car and pointed Tasers at the driver.
The suspect, who is in his 50s, was ordered to the ground before being taken away in handcuffs. The car’s boot was opened and checked for explosives.
PM taken to safety
Rishi Sunak was in Downing Street at the time the car crashed into the front gates at about 4.20pm, The Telegraph understands.
The Prime Minister, who had been due to leave No 10 anyway, was whisked away to safety shortly after the incident via a back entrance.
Scotland Yard was quick to scotch suggestions that the crash could be terror-related and later confirmed SO15, the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terror command, was not involved in the investigation.
Scotland Yard said in a statement: “The incident is being dealt with by local officers in Westminster and isn't currently being treated as terror-related.”
One Metropolitan Police source said early indications were that mental health may have played a part in the suspect’s actions and that it was not being considered as a serious attempt to ram the Downing Street gates.
The source said: “The man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage but it feels like his welfare is also an issue in this case.
“The footage circulating shows that he was only doing about 2mph when he approached the gates, so whatever his intentions were it does not feel that this was a determined attempt to smash through security.
“However it shows that Met officers who guard these buildings and the people within them have to be alert at all times just in case.”
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “At around 4.20pm a car collided with the gates of Downing Street on Whitehall.
“Armed officers arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving.
“There are no reports of any injuries. Inquiries are ongoing.”
Police can hold the suspect for 24 hours before charging, releasing or bailing him.
It is thought the car was driven down Whitehall from Trafalgar Square before being reversed into the opening to the Ministry of Defence car park and then pointed in the direction of Downing Street across the road.
Simon Parry, 44, who witnessed the incident from his position at a protest opposite Downing Street, said: “I heard a bang and looked up and saw loads of police with Taser guns shouting at the man.
“A lot of police vehicles came very quickly and were very quick to evacuate the area.”
He said the driver had his “face to the floor” as he was being arrested.
Mr Parry said that, as the car hit the gates: “A lot of children ran away, the guy was quickly seized by the armed police, they dragged him out.”
He said the suspect “did not look like a terrorist”, adding he was told he was wearing a Winnie the Pooh T-shirt.
“He looked like someone that’s just had enough and had a bad day and thought he’d have a go,” said Mr Parry.
Another protester said the driver looked like “a pretty normal person”, adding: “He didn’t look distressed, he looked like he must have had some sort of an episode or something.”
Large sections of Whitehall were closed to the public and vehicles in the immediate aftermath, with cordons set up.
'Long list of disorders'
The incident occurred at a time when many civil servants were leaving their offices, while tourists were also in the area.
Chris Loder, a Conservative MP, expressed his concern that low-level crime was being ignored in the Whitehall area and that Thursday’s incident “is just another one of a long list of disorders”.
Mr Loder told The Telegraph: “Most working days, I speak to the police about out-of-control situations on Whitehall, whether it’s vandalising the Foreign Office last week, attacking of police officers, suspicious devices, disrespecting the Cenotaph or constant extreme loud music all day which the Public Order Act has given the police the powers to deal with. But they ignore it.
“The senior officers of the Metropolitan Police are turning a blind eye to incidents on a massive scale on Whitehall. They even allowed protesters to remain on the pavement whilst everyone else was evacuated.
“I’ll be writing to the police commissioner and the Home Secretary about this continual situation because today's incident is just another one of a long list of disorders on Whitehall.”
06:46 PM
That's all for today
That's all for our live blog. Thanks for following along with our coverage.
Here is everything we know so far:
- A man was arrested after a car crashed into the gates of Downing Street at 4.20pm on Wednesday.
- The Prime Minister was in the building at the time of the incident.
- There were no injuries and nobody else was in the vehicle at the time.
- A small cordon remains in place and police say the incident is not being treated as terror-related.
06:21 PM
Latest police update
#UPDATE | A small cordon remains in place outside Downing Street after a car collided with the gates earlier this afternoon.
The incident is being dealt with by local officers in Westminster and isn't currently being treated as terror-related.— MPS Westminster (@MPSWestminster) May 25, 2023
06:08 PM
Children fled the scene in 'panic'
Our political correspondent, Amy Gibbons, is on the ground outside Downing Street.
Simon Parry, who witnessed the incident from a protest opposite Downing Street, said children fled the scene “in panic mode”.
He said: “A lot of children ran away, the guy was quickly seized by the armed police, they pointed tasers at him, they dragged him out.
“Police vehicles arrived pretty quickly and he was taken away and they evacuated the area.”
He said the man did not hit the gate very hard, but the group “heard a bang”.
Another protester at the scene suggested the car had been travelling at around 10mph.
Mr Parry said there were around 12 to 15 police vehicles at the scene during the aftermath, with sniffer dogs and a bomb disposal unit.
He said the man appeared around 50 years old.
The other protester said the man looked like “a pretty normal person”.
"He drove out of these gates adjacent to 10 Downing Street… and half an hour earlier the UN soldiers who had done a parade for the fallen soldiers went in there and the gates were locked, so somehow he’s come out of those gates and drove directly into 10 Downing Street at about 10 miles an hour."
05:51 PM
Driver had 'face to floor' when being arrested
Witness Simon Parry said the driver had his "face to the floor" as he was being arrested.
He said the man appeared to slow down before he reached the gates of Downing Street, having driven out from the other side of the road.
"There were sniffer dogs and a bomb squad," he added.
Asked to describe the mood in the immediate aftermath, Mr Parry said: "We saw people that were in a panic running away and we saw people who were excited."
05:46 PM
Police open cordon
Police have opened the cordon that was restricting access for the area of Whitehall outside Downing Street where a car hit the Downing Street gates.
Dozens of members of the public filed out as armed officers kept watch near the crashed car.
05:45 PM
PM in No 10 at time of crash
Rishi Sunak was in Downing Street at the time the car crashed into the front gates, the PA news agency understands.
The Prime Minister, who had been due to leave No 10 anyway, departed after the crash.
05:31 PM
Watch: Footage shows moment car crashes in No 10
Footage credited to BBC News appears to capture the moment the grey car drove up to the Downing Street gate, crossing a street before doing so.
It appears to be moving quite slowly. The vehicle also slows down a little as it approaches the entrance and moves past the initial low barrier before reaching the black Downing Street gate.
Worst. Ram Raid. Ever!
Car "crashes" into Downing Street gates#bbcnews #skynews pic.twitter.com/qMTtMTwkVj— Danny Denay #FBPE #GTTO (@DannyDenay) May 25, 2023
05:30 PM
Car appears to be a silver Kia Ceed hatchback
The car appears to be a silver Kia Ceed hatchback manufactured in 2009.
05:27 PM
'I heard a bang and looked up and saw loads of police'
Witness Simon Parry, 44, said: "I heard a bang and looked up and saw loads of police with taser guns shouting at the man.
"A lot of police vehicles came very quickly and were very quick to evacuate the area."
05:26 PM
Checks for explosive devices carried out
The Telegraph understands that checks for explosive devices were carried out at the scene.
Images showed the grey car with its boot and left door open surrounded by armed policemen.
05:17 PM
Counter-terrorism police not involved
The Telegraph understands that counter-terrorism police are not involved in the investigation at this stage.
05:16 PM
Cordons in place around Whitehall
There are cordons around Whitehall with police officers blocking access to the street from outside the Ministry of Defence.
The incident comes as many civil servants are leaving their offices for the day in the area.
05:13 PM
Armed police arrest suspect
Photographs showed a middle-aged man with grey hair, glasses and a bald patch being led away by three policemen.
He was wearing a white t-shirt, grey trousers and trainers.
05:09 PM
The silver car which crashed into the gates of Downing Street has been pictured
05:04 PM
Met Police Statement
The latest update from the Met Police states: "At around 16:20hrs a car collided with the gates of Downing Street on Whitehall.
"Armed officers arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving.
"There are no reports of any injuries.
"Enquiries are ongoing."
04:59 PM
Significant police presence
Large sections of Whitehall have been closed to the public and vehicles, with pedestrians being turned away from the main thoroughfare around Downing Street in central London.
There is a significant police presence in the area.
