London terror incident: House of Commons session suspended after car and knife attack
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Your support makes all the difference.Proceedings at the House of Commons have been suspended after a man was shot outside Parliament.
Staff inside the building were told to stay in their offices. MPs that were in the chamber when sitting was suspended were told to stay inside the House of Commons.
Commons Leader David Lidington has told MPs a "police officer has been stabbed" and the "alleged assailant was shot by armed police" following a "serious" incident within the parliamentary estate.
Parliament will be in shutdown until further notice, the Speaker said.
Officials made the announcement in the chamber as parliamentary activity was going on.
London police said they were called to a firearms incident on Westminster Bridge near the British parliament on Wednesday.
"We were called at approx 2:40 pm to reports of an incident at Westminster Bridge. Being treated as a firearms incident - police on scene," the Metropolitan police said on Twitter.
Dennis Burns, who was just entering Parliament for a meeting when the security alert happened, told the Press Association: "As I was coming through the doors at Portcullis House, a policeman grabbed someone who was coming in and threw him out.
"As we were coming though the glass doors I was told by one security guard to get out while another one told me to get in.
"As I walked in I heard a security guard get a radio message saying 'a policeman has been stabbed'.
"Then I walked in as police officers and security start rushing out of the front doors on to the street.
"When I got inside I was wondering what the hell was going on and I saw dozens of panicked people running down the street. The first stream was around 30 people and the second stream was 70 people.
"It looked like they were running for their lives."
Commons leader David Lidington said the House of Commons would "remain in lockdown" until further notice.
He said: "I shall endeavour to do the very best I can, both at the despatch box and by communicating with my opposite numbers in other political parties, to ensure that Members are kept aware of what is happening but at the moment the very clear advice from the police and the director of security in the House is that we should remain under suspension and that the chamber should remain in lockdown until we receive advice that it is safe to go back to normal procedures."
Shadow leader of the House Valerie Vaz said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the police officer and to thank the police and all the security services and all the staff for looking after us so well."
Mr Lidington, in a later statement to MPs, confirmed the House of Commons would adjourn for the day.
He said: "There have been conversations through the usual channels.
"I hope the House would agree that in the current circumstances it would not be right to continue with today's business."
MPs shouted in favour of a motion to adjourn the sitting.
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The person seen in the river has been recovered alive, according to officials.
A spokesman for the Port of London Authority, which looks after safety on the River Thames, said: "A female member of the public was recovered from the water near Westminster Bridge. She is alive but undergoing urgent medical treatment on a nearby pier. We believe she fell from the bridge."
He said the river has been closed from Vauxhall to Embankment "as part of the security response".
A Holyrood vote expected to back Nicola Sturgeon's calls for a second Scottish independence referendum has been put on hold following the terror attack in Westminster.
The Scottish Parliament suspended business in the wake of the incident at the Houses of Parliament, where an attacker stabbed a policeman before being shot by officers.
MSPs had been due to vote on whether the Scottish Government should seek discussions with the Conservative administration at Westminster on the details of a section 30 order - the legal mechanism that would allow a second independence ballot to be held.
But with business in Holyrood suspended, that will now take place later.
Labour MP Mary Creagh told reporters: "They are clearing it floor by floor."It was very frightening, to see people running towards you, to hear that shots had been heard.""My thoughts are really with those people" who were victims of the attack, she said.
Police are treating Westminster as a terror incident, please send any pictures or video toukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk
Here is a full rundown of the existing security measures, provided by the Press Association. It's obviously likely that more will go into effect once the incident is over.
:: There are a number of entrances onto the parliamentary estate for staff and visitors but all are subject to security measures.
:: Visitors can enter through the Cromwell Green entrance and through the main doors at Portcullis House. Both entrances have airport-style security.
:: There are a number of entrances for holders of parliamentary security passes, MPs, palace staff etc, which are required to gain access to any one of the entrances. Armed police are stationed at all of the main entrances.
:: Armed police officers are always stationed on the Carriage Gates which is the main road entrance into Parliament. The entrance is always blocked by metal barricades and there are also car park-style barriers for vehicles on the way in and out of the palace.
:: Armed police are stationed throughout the palace itself.
:: Sniffer dogs are often seen on the parliamentary estate carrying out checks, including before major events such as Prime Minister's Questions.
:: Security incidents have occurred on the parliamentary estate over the years, most notably when Prime Minister's Questions was halted in May 2004.
:: This occurred after Fathers 4 Justice campaigners threw condoms filled with purple flour and glitter at Tony Blair, although it initially sparked fears that the Commons was under biological attack.
:: A glass screen was installed in the public gallery to prevent similar incidents.
:: An increased focus on the security of MPs emerged following the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in her Batley and Spen constituency in June 2016.
:: A police hotline was set up for MPs to report threats made against them.
:: Figures released this week showed a specialist police team set up to investigate crimes against MPs, the Met's parliamentary liaison and investigation team, has probed more than 50 complaints in the six months of Mrs Cox's murder.
Staff from the Treasury are now being sent home, according to Independent journalist Matthew Murphy who is at the scene. They are being told to hide their passes as they do so, he says.
Bournemouth MP @Tobias_Ellwood helped injured policeman in Parliament - gave mouth-to-mouth. His brother was killed in Bali terrorist attack
"We know there are a number of casualties including police officer," said Commander BJ Harrington from the Met Police during a press conference just now. "But at this stage we cannot confirm numbers or the nature of these injuries."
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