Car attack outside Westminster treated as terror offence - police

A man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament, police said on Tuesday.

“At 0737hrs today, a car was in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament. The male driver of the car was detained by officers at the scene. A number of pedestrians have been injured. Officers remain at the scene. We will issue further info when we have it,” Scotland Yard said.

"At this stage, we are treating this as a terrorist incident and the Met's Counter Terrorism Command is now leading the investigation."

The suspect, reported to be in his late 20s,was not co-operating with officers, the BBC reported. Footage showed the car swerve across a central reservation and into cyclists and pedestrians, injuring three people. The driver then appeared to run down two police officers at the car park barrier.

Scotland Yard's head of counter terrorism Neil Basu said: "Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident."

Officers were seen surrounding the vehicle before a man was arrested. The car crashed into a barrier outside a parking area in front of the Lords entrance to parliament.

Several witnesses claimed the silver Ford Fiesta appeared to deliberately hit members of the public before ramming the barrier.

London Ambulance Service said two people were treated at the scene and have been taken to hospital. Westminster tube station is closed and streets around Millbank, Parliament Square and Victoria Tower Gardens have been cordoned off.

People have been moved further back from the area as police put up a Terrorism Act cordon, officers at the scene said. Parliament is not sitting.