Just In! Buckingham Palace Knifeman Had 4ft Sword And Shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’, Police Reveal

A suspect deliberately drove a car at police outside Buckingham Palace and then “reached for a 4ft sword”, the Metropolitan Police have said.

Three officers were injured after tackling a man who drove a blue Toyota Prius at a marked police vehicle on Friday night.

Commander Dean Haydon, of the Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism branch, said: “Uniformed officers then confronted the driver of the vehicle and during that confrontation, the driver reached for a four-foot sword that was in the passenger footwell. “CS gas was used as part of the arrest and during the struggle, the individual repeatedly shouted the words, Allahu Akbar.”

A 26-year-old man from the Luton area is in custody at a central London police station.

In a message on Twitter, Prime Minister Theresa May said: “I want to thank the officers who acted quickly and bravely to protect the public last night, demonstrating the dedication and professionalism of our police.”

Buckingham Palace was in lockdown on Friday night after the 26-year-old man armed injured the police officers.