#BreakingNews: Armed Police Surround Bank of England
“Routine” Police Action Underlines Tensions in London
Armed police surrounded the Bank of England in London and cordoned off surrounding roads, according to reports.
The incident caused widespread alarm, with witnesses tweeting pictures on social media and describing sirens, flashing lights and armed police officers on the streets.
A witness to the incident said that “Armed police [were] all around the Bank of England. They’ve cordoned Lothbury at the junction with Princes Street – armed police stood at the junction of the road.”
Lots of armed police on Lothbury, the road behind Bank Of England. @CityPolice car with armed officers escorting two blue lorries down Moorgate toward @bankofengland pic.twitter.com/gf5kCaMiTi
— Ash (@zivcjs) May 24, 2018
The incident comes only days after arrests in Hertfordshire and south London under the 2006 Prevention of Terrorism Act.
According to MI5 the UK threat level for international terrorism is severe. Severe means that an attack is highly likely.
Update
A City of London Police spokesman has now classified the incident as “routine”. Road closures, sirens and armed police on the streets are not normally considered “routine”.
A similar incident yesterday saw Fenchurch Street evacuated by police responding to reports of a suspicious vehicle.