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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I was journo @SadiqKhan said this to after NYC attack. He was being realistic: cities must be prepared. Failure of… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…
No10 spokesperson:“The thoughts of the PM and the Government are with those killed and injured in this appalling incident, and with their families.“The PM is being kept updated and will shortly chair COBR.”
The sun is setting on a terrible day for London. Thinking of everyone affected by the Westminster attack and their loved ones. http://pbs.twimg.com/media/C7izbLFW0AAlHoG.jpg
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "Our thoughts are with the victims of today's attack in London and their families. Canadians remain united with the people of the UK."
Travelling home through my beautiful, strong city knowing that the attacker will not get what he wanted. Terror will never win in London.
Lots of people come to Houses of Parliament to do lots of different jobs. One won't go home today. Others will because of him. #Westminster
The Metropolitan Police officer who died in the Westminster attack joins a long list of colleagues who have been killed in the line of duty.Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales Steve White said "no words can capture how members of the policing family will feel" after the events of Wednesday afternoon.He said: "Officers will tonight take the opportunity to hug loved ones and seek comfort in the company of friends and family. But one will not. The pain of that officer's family, friends and colleagues will be shared by us all."We have lived in the knowledge that an attack on UK soil has been highly likely for nearly three years. Everyone is firmly aware of this fact, but it makes it no less shocking when it becomes a reality."This incident highlights the very real risks that police face each and every day."Our hearts go out to their family and our thoughts are with them and their colleagues at this terrible time along with others who have been injured today."Charity Police Roll of Honour Trust has named every UK officer who has been killed in service, including the high-profile deaths of Pcs Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23, who were murdered by Dale Cregan in September 2012.The memorial roll records more than 1,600 officers who have lost their lives while performing their duty to keep the public safe.These have included Pc David Phillips who was killed while laying a stop-stick during a police chase. The 34-year-old father-of-two was trying to stop a Mitsubishi jeep being driven by Clayton Williams, then 19, in the Wirral in October 2015.Also on the list is Pc Gary Toms, 37, who was critically injured confronting suspects in a dead end road in Leyton, east London, on April 11, 2009.He died six days later when his life support machine was switched off - 25 years to the day Pc Yvonne Fletcher was shot dead outside the Libyan Embassy in London while controlling a crowd of demonstrators.Her killer has never been brought to justice and film director Michael Winner founded the Police Memorial Trust as a result of her murder.Pc David Rathband, who was shot and blinded while he sat in his patrol car by gunman Raoul Moat, also features on the list. The officer was found dead at his home in Northumberland in February 2012.The last death of a Met Police officer on duty was in September 2013 when 47-year-old Pc Andrew Duncan was killed as he attempted to stop a speeding vehicle in Sutton, south London.Among the other officers on the list is Pc Ricky Grey, who was shot in the head by a gunman who then turned the weapon on himself in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and Pc Sharon Beshenivsky, who was shot dead when she and a colleague tried to stop armed robbers in Bradford in November 2005.Another name on the roll is that of Pc Keith Blakelock, a 40-year-old father of three, who was set upon by a mob and hacked to death with a machete during the Broadwater Farm riots in 1985.Det Con Stephen Oake died during a police raid on a flat in Crumpsall, Manchester, in January 2003.Kamel Bourgass launched a frenzied knife attack on the Special Branch officer as he tried to escape. The Algerian was sentenced to life for his murder.DC Oake's bravery not only saved the lives of several of his colleagues but potentially hundreds of people, who Bourgass was plotting to kill with the deadly poison ricin.
I watched the two teams working equally hard to save both the officer and assailant at the same time...an odd feeling
Britain First has called a demonstration next Saturday, after the attack.
I spoke to a bus driver who was on Westminster Bridge as the attack unfolded. This is his account: independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-n…
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