United Kingdom: Vehicle crashes into Downing Street gates, arrests

LONDON (Reuters) – A vehicle rammed into the gate of Downing Street, the office and residence of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, London police said, adding that no one was injured and one person was arrested on suspicion. dangerous driving.

“At approximately 4.20pm a car crashed into the gates of Downing Street. Officers arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving,” police said in a statement.

A Reuters reporter noted that a small vehicle was parked in front of the Downing Street gate, doors and trunk open.

BBC footage shows the vehicle approaching the grid at low speed. The grill did not appear damaged.

According to a witness, who did not wish to be identified, the driver of the vehicle was a white man in his 50s.

Rishi Sunak Services declined a request for comment.

A security cordon was briefly erected to block traffic from Whitehall, a major street in London providing access to Downing Street, where many government buildings are located.

(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar and Kylie McLellan; French version Jean Terzien; Editing by Nicolas Delme)