Police swoop in on Buckingham Palace after man in his 30s handcuffs himself to the main gates and threatens to hurt himself
- The Metropolitan Police said officers are working to de-escalate the incident
Police have swooped on Buckingham Palace after a man handcuffed himself to the main gates and began threatening to harm himself.
Footage on social media shows a man dressed in a white t-shirt and black trousers cuffed himself to the gates of the palace where hundreds of tourists had gathered to see the iconic building.
Police officers rapidly cleared the area and appeared to be trying to reason with the individual, believed to be in his 30s, who was said to be threatening to hurt himself.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, with several police vans pulling up to assist officers already on the ground. Vehicles from the London Ambulance Service (LAS) also attended.
In a statement, the Met Police said: ‘At around 17:23hrs a man approached the gates of Buckingham Palace and handcuffed himself to them.
The man attached himself to the gates and began threatening to hurt himself
Police officers rushed to the scene and began clearing the area of people
Both officers and paramedics could be seen speaking with the man outside the palace
Both the Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service sent teams to the scene
Police officers rapidly cleared the area and appeared to be trying to reason with the individual, who was said to be threatening to hurt himself (Stock image of Buckingham Palace)
‘Officers in the area immediately approached the man, believed aged in his 30s, who began threatening to harm himself.
‘LAS are also on scene. Police are trying to speak to the man & bring the situation to a swift conclusion to ensure his safety and welfare.’
Police swiftly cleared the entire area around the front of the palace and erected a cordon.
Paramedics and officers could be seen speaking to the man outside the main gates.
One woman, who posted video of the moment online, said: ‘Unfolding drama at Buckingham Palace where a man has handcuffed himself to the entry gates.. police on hand.’
She later added that police were clearing the area around the gate and asking people to move to the other side of the road.
The Metropolitan Police have been contacted for comment.
This is a breaking news story and is being updated.
