Buckingham Palace knifeman had 4ft sword and shouted 'Allahu Akbar', police reveal

The man arrested outside Buckingham Palace drove at police before lunging for a 4ft sword and repeatedly shouting “Allahu Akbar”.

The 26-year-old man from Luton was wrestled to the ground by unarmed police who had to use CS gas to incapacitate him.

During the struggle three officers were injured, two of whom suffered minor cuts to their hands and required treatment in hospital before being discharged.

The three policemen were praised for their bravery and speed in containing the situation.

The Prime Minister, Theresa May, tweeted: “I want to thank the officers who acted quickly and bravely to protect the public last night, demonstrating the dedication and professionalism of our police.”

The attack happened shortly after 8.30pm on Friday when The Mall, Constitution Hill and Birdcage Walk, the roads running through St James’s Park and Green Park towards the palace, were still full of tourists.

The motorist was said to have driven a Toyota Prius at a police van on a restricted part of road directly opposite the palace.

The car pulled up abruptly in front of the van and as officers emerged he grabbed into the passenger footwell and produced a 4ft sword.

The police eventually overcame the man who had been alone in the car. Passersby said they saw the motorist, who may have been driving on the wrong side of the road at one point, being restrained by officers on the ground. Some said he appeared to have a machete.

Commander Dean Haydon, of the Met’s counter-terrorism branch, said: “A blue Toyota Prius deliberately drove at a marked police vehicle and stopped in front of it.

"Uniformed officers then confronted the driver of the vehicle and during that confrontation the driver reached for a four-foot sword that was in the passenger footwell.

"CS gas was used as part of the arrest and during the struggle the individual repeatedly shouted the words Allahu Akbar."

He praised the “bravery and professionalism” of the officers, adding that: “Their vigilance, courage and the swiftness of their response demonstrates how our officers are protecting the public.”

The man was being held at a London station under the Terrorism Act and on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. Police searches were being carried out at properties connected to him in the Luton area of Bedfordshire.

It was not clear whether the vehicle belonged to him, or whether he had travelled directly from his hometown to London. CCTV was also being analysed to see whether there was any suggestion he earlier had “scouted out” the area.

There was speculation last night that the suspect may have been a private hire taxi driver. Cabs, both traditional black cabs and private hire cars, are one of the few commercial vehicles allowed to work along the roads leading to the palace.

The Prius model is particularly popular with minicab drivers because it costs less to run and can get an exemption on the city’s Congestion Charge.

Mr Haydon said officers believe the man was acting alone and no one else was being sought by police. He added he could not speculate at this stage what the man was planning to do.

He urged the public to remain particularly vigilant during the Bank Holiday weekend when so many public events are being held. The threat from terrorism in the UK remains ‘severe’.

Luton has been linked to problems with Islamic extremism over recent years. Khalid Masood, also known as Adrian Elms, who killed five people during his attack in March on Westminster Bridge earlier this year had lived at two addresses in the town. In February, a gang were jailed for trying to persuade people to travel to Syria to join Islamic State.

10:18PM

Suspect was 'wrestled from a car', PA reports

One witness described seeing the man wrestled from a car by police having apparently driven his vehicle towards them.

Kiana Williamson told the Press Association: "We turned up and there was one police van and one car, there was also a civilian's car that had veered towards the police car.

"They were trying to get the man out of the car, shouting, more police were arriving on to the scene and the man was fighting back.

"I saw one injured policeman with an injury to his arm although it didn't look severe.

"He was being tended to by another officer.

"The man had been restrained and looked almost unconscious by the side of the road.

"I didn't see the car driving but the car had been left at the side of the road and an eye witness had said that he had driven towards the police car."

The whole encounter lasted around one minute, she added.

9:25PM

Two officers injured

9:24PM

Man arrested on suspicion of GBH

9:18PM

There is a heavy police presence outside the palace