UK government to meet after 'terrorist attack' in London

UK government to meet after 'terrorist attack' in London
The UK government is holding an emergency meeting after Tuesday's car ramming was described as a terrorist incident.
1 min read
14 August, 2018
The suspect is a male in his 20s [Getty]

Britain's government will be holding a session of its emergency committee following what it described as a suspected terrorist incident near the Houses of Parliament.  

The session of the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms committee was called after a motorist slammed into pedestrians and cyclists before hitting a barrier near the House of Lords on Tuesday. Two people were hurt, but authorities said none of the injuries is life-threatening.

Prime Minister Theresa May has offered her praise for the emergency services for their "immediate and courageous response" following the incident.

This comes shortly after London's Metropolitan Police said they are treating the crash outside of Parliament as a terrorist incident.

Authorities said in a statement on Tuesday that a man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of terrorist offenses after the silver Ford Fiesta collided with a number of cyclists and pedestrians before crashing into the barriers during the morning rush hour.

Westminster was the scene of a terror attack last year, when Khalid Masood, a 52-year-old Briton, drove a car at pedestrians on a bridge over the River Thames, before fatally stabbing a policeman on guard outside parliament. 

The attack left five people dead and around 50 injured, and only ended when police shot Masood dead.