Car crashes into Buckingham Palace as armed police arrest driver
Car crashes into Buckingham Palace
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A car crashed into the gates of Buckingham Palace as armed police arrest the vehicle driver at the scene.
In the early hours of Saturday morning the police rushed to the palace in London after reports of a "loud bang."
The police surrounded the vehicle and arrested a driver after shouting: "Keep your hands on your head."
The Met police released a statement confirming that the man had been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
The Met
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A witness said that the incident unfolded at around 2:30am on Saturday morning.
He said: "I heard a loud bang, and I looked over and the car had crashed into Buckingham Palace.
"Police were on the scene pretty quickly - and they got the man out and arrested him."
The Met police said that there were no injuries following the incident outside the royal residence.
Aerial view of Buckingham Palace
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A spokesperson for the force said: "At approximately 2.33am on Saturday, 09 March a car collided with the gates of Buckingham Palace.
"Armed officers arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage. He was taken to hospital.
"There were no reports of any injuries. Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances."
The man was then taken to hospital and following assessment he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
The Canada Gate at Green Park in London, England near Buckingham Palace
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The driver has now been released on bail and enquiries continue.
The Met police announced that the matter is not being treated as terror-related.
It follows a similar incident outside Buckingham Palace in January 2023 when a car crashed into the palace railings.
The car crashed into the iron perimeter beside the palace Canada Gate and burst into flames.
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At the time, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "At around 7.20am on Saturday, January 21 a car collided with railings by Canada Gate, in The Mall SW1.
"LFB were requested after the car caught fire. Road closures were put in place.
"The driver, a man aged in his 20s, suffered no serious injuries. The incident is not being treated as suspicious."