After a security breach, a suspect fled from Parliament and spraying a cop in the face.
Metropolitan Police stated that the officer, who was working at the Palace of Westminster in Millbank (central London) yesterday at 8.30pm, had been attacked with the substance.
The suspect fled in the direction Victoria Tower Gardens, according to police. London Ambulance Service assessed the officer, who suffered minor irritation. The officer did not need hospital treatment.
The arrest comes after a man was allegedly caught climbing over the fence of Houses Parliament. After being Tasered, he was pinned down and put in a cell by armed police.
Before officers could drag him away, the suspect broke through the barrier in front the building. Unidentified intruder is seen climbing over two fences to reach New Palace Yard. He was then taken into custody on New Palace Yard grass while officers trained their guns.
A second image featured a bicycle abandoned just meters from the Palace of Westminster. Two police officers were later able to see the man with his arms behind his back and in handcuffs, as he was being protected by them.
Witnesses claim that he had scaled the fence to get Tasered before. He was taken to Carriage Gates for trespassing at a protected location. However, the Met stated that he had been arrested but it wasn’t being treated as terrorist related. The force stated that he is still in custody, and ongoing investigations are underway.
This suspect entered through the exact same door that PC Keith Palmer was murdered by terrorists in 2017.
The arrest comes after a man was allegedly caught climbing over the fence of Houses Parliament. After being Tasered, he was pinned down and taken to jail by armed police
The intruder was wearing a woolly headdress, jeans and trainers. He was being held on New Palace Yard grass while officers trained their guns.
Another picture shows a bike abandoned just meters from Parliament after it has covered the majority of the distance to the main road.
This suspect entered the exact same door as PC Keith Palmer, who was murdered by terrorists in 2017.
He was dragged into the courtyard and shouted at officers while they held his hands.
Later, he was moved to another area of the grounds toward the exit and continued to shout at police. He was then taken by officers to another area of the grounds. While he yelled at police, they bundled him in the back of a arriving van.
A total of 12 police officers surrounded the area to help him get away. He had already arrived on the scene from Prime Minister’s questions and large demonstrations in Parliament Square.
This suspect was able to pass through the same entry as PC Keith Palmer, who was also brutally killed in 2017.
Elliot Keck works for Romford MP Andrew Rosindell and said the man appeared to have climbed over the fence prior to being tasered.
27-year-old Mr Keck stated that two officers with guns were drawn as he was being tested.
“When it became clear that the man was not a danger, the armed police set off to arrest him. He was then seated upright and taken to the van. According to Mr Keck, the man had also thrown away a bag that was searched by police.
Another witness told the Mirror: ‘Just saw someone climb into Parliament. The police were quick to taser the suspect and immediately draw his guns. Amazing performance by the police.
Previous attempts to enter Parliament have focused on the entrance, such as the attempt that saw PC Palmer murdered.
Khalid Masood killed the officer in March 2017. He was trying to get through the gates. He was shot dead – but had already killed four others using a car on Westminster Bridge.
MailOnline revealed in 2019 security spending had soared by nearly £10million a year since the deadly attack – up to an estimated £45million annually.
Fears of gaps in security were a major concern. There was no presence on Sundays by armed officers and there wasn’t enough coverage on CCTV.
In two separate reviews, drastic changes were recommended to estate defenses. Three weeks after PC Palmer’s passing, larger and higher black iron security gates were installed with wire mesh.
The doors are closed permanently unless an automobile requires them to be opened, however this wasn’t the case after PC Palmer was killed. An entrance also houses armed officers.
Details buried in the accounts for the Houses showed the total security bill for the Westminster estate came to £40.15million in the year following the terror attack. That was up from £35.24million in 2016-17.
In previous attempts to enter Parliament, the entrance was the main focus (pictured).
Khalid Masood, (pictured above), stabbed Khalid Masood to death as he tried to force his way through the gates in March 2017. He was shot to death, but had killed four others with a car that he parked on Westminster Bridge.
An officer of police lays one rose at the Memorial to Honor PC Keith Palmer, March 14, 2014.40. This is four years after the Westminster Bridge terrorist attack.
Outside the Houses of Parliament, Masood was allowed to enter through their Carriage Gates during his 2017 attack
This figure seems to have increased even more since then. The Houses split the costs on a 30-70 ratio, and Lords records show it has been contributing around £1.1million a month to security as of October.
That would give a total annual bill across the estate of £45million. It does not contain spending on cybersecurity, though this is widely believed to have increased in the wake of hacking attacks.
A Met police spokesman said: ‘At around 3pm on Wednesday, 1 December, a man was detained and arrested at Carriage Gates inside the Palace of Westminster on suspicion of trespassing on a protected site.
“Enquiries into these circumstances are continuing.” It is being considered a non-terrorist incident. After the breach, Carriage Gates temporarily were placed under lockdown.
According to a House of Commons spokesperson, the incident occurred on Parliamentary Estate. Security staff and police are currently attending.