A van hit pedestrians on London Bridge in central London. This was reported by the BBC, without for now specifying whether it was a deliberate action, but emphasizing that several police vehicles went to the scene. Witnesses told SkyNews that the man driving the van that ran over some people on London Bridge would later stab at others. Previously, there had been talk of shots, which it is not clear whether they could have come from the alleged attacker himself or from police officers who intervened on the spot. Three suspects, who probably got off the van involved in the alleged London Bridge attack, are said to be on the run, according to anonymous investigative sources taken up by the BBC. Meanwhile Scotland Yard confirms that the police have taken action in the Borough Market area, where, according to the media, the hunt for the wanted persons may be underway.
The police confirmed in a statement that they are "victims" at London Bridge, after a van hurled itself at passers-by who crowded the area on Saturday evening. The press release also refers to "testimonies" that refer to a stabbing attack.
The police intervened within about two minutes and are now present in force in the area, where several ambulances have also rushed. According to some witnesses, the van was going at a high speed, around 80 at the time. Some witnesses claim to have heard shots in the London Bridge area, in the same minutes in which a minibus ran over several passers-by. Others claim to have seen among the people rescued on the ground immediately after the events someone who appeared to have been injured by gunshots and stab wounds, rather than by being run over. However, this information is not currently confirmed by the police.
Police have closed London Bridge to traffic after a van ran over some pedestrians in central London tonight. Investigative sources speak for now of "a serious accident". According to witnesses, the vehicle, a white minibus, went off the road, running over "five or six people", as reported by the British media.
Scotland Yard has asked people not to approach the London Bridge area after a van hit several pedestrians, perhaps deliberately, as the bridge is currently being evacuated. Meanwhile, the subway station of the same name has also been closed. The area, with a high tourist concentration, is crowded with people, out and about on a Saturday evening.
Former Eurosceptic UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who was nearby according to his account, released an alarmed tweet. “Looks like another disaster,” he wrote. The incident closely resembles the one that occurred not many weeks ago on another iconic bridge in London, Westminster Bridge, where an SUV had deliberately run over many people. In that case, the man driving had then walked towards the entrance to parliament and stabbed an officer to death before being killed.
