Armed police tasered an intruder and pinned him to the ground after he got in through the gates of Parliament this morning.
The man was bundled to the cobbles of New Palace Yard, not far from where Westminster terror attacker Khalid Masood murdered PC Keith Palmer last year.
The suspect is said to have ran in through gates as a taxi drove out. He made it a few metres into the Parliamentary estate before he was stopped and Tasered to the ground.
He shouted ‘we’re coming for you politicians’ before he was put in a police van and driven away, witnesses said.
The incident, which is not currently being treated as terror-related, will raise further questions about security around the Houses of Parliament, following a series of terror attacks.
Armed police have Tasered a man inside the gates of Parliament this afternoon, just yards from where the Westminster terror attacker killed an officer last year
The man was handcuffed by officers and taken away to a central London police station
The suspect, wearing a green jacket and a orange and blue top, was pictured after his arrest
The suspect was restrained by police before being held in a police box and then driven away
Witnesses claimed the man jumped over railings, but police said he came in through the gates
One witness told The Independent: ‘I heard police shouting – at first I thought they were just shouting at tourists to stay back – but there was a guy stood just inside the gates facing [away from Parliament].
‘He was just stood there with his arms out being approached by lots of police and wasn’t responding to the screams. I heard a crack, which I guess was the Taser because I saw the Taser wires after, and he went down and very quickly they were all on him.’
Pictures from the scene show the man – who was wearing a black cap, a green jacket and jeans – pinned to the ground with three officers around him.
One of the policemen was aiming a gun at his head, another had used the Taser and a third held a baton.
Another eyewitness said: ‘I saw a guy fall to the floor and he was on the floor surrounded by armed officers. He was shouting something.
‘He had been Tasered, you could see the wires. I did not hear the police shouting anything, but that could be because of all the commotion.
‘They handcuffed him and got him to his feet, then unzipped his jacket to see if he had anything hidden on him
‘Everybody was just watching, surprised that something like this was happening. Two armed police cars, BMW X5s turned up and armed police came out of the grounds and told us to get back. They then set up cordons around the entrance.’
The police confirmed a suspect was detained inside the Carriage Gates on suspicion of trespassing on a protected site
The man was later pinned down to the ground while armed officers surrounded him, with one pointing a gun at his head. Pictured: The moment the man was arrested inside the grounds of the Houses of Parliament
He could be seen being held against a fence inside the Carriage Gates entrance to the Palace of Westminster complex. Around a dozen police officers were inside the gates with him
This image shows the suspect (circled) before he was led away by armed officers into a police van
Tourists gathered around the Carriage Gates and took photos as the suspect was led away.
Many political journalists also rushed to the scene from their offices in the Houses of Parliament.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘A man was detained and arrested by Carriage Gates inside the Palace of Westminster on suspicion of trespassing at a protected site, at around 11.55am on Tuesday, 11 December.
‘A Taser was deployed. Enquiries into the circumstances continue.’
A House of Commons spokesman said: ‘We are aware of a situation outside the Palace of Westminster that was handled by the Met Police and is now over.’
The Palace of Westminster estate carried on as usual during this morning’s incident.
The incident happened at 11.55am, according to a statement released by the Met Police
A police van later arrived in the courtyard below Big Ben and the man was taken away
‘There hasn’t been a lockdown at any point,’ a House of Commons spokesman told MailOnline.
All public roads also remained open as officers restrained the suspect and led him away.
Christopher Hope, of the Daily Telegraph, told the BBC: ‘I heard a scream and then looked out the window, and then about half a dozen police officers who appeared not to be armed were running towards a man.
‘And then it appears the man was Tasered. It appears to be contained now. There are armed police patrolling downstairs by the Christmas tree.’
Luke Pollard MP tweeted: ‘Media are reporting an incident in Parliament. Me and my team in Westminster are safe and well. A timely reminder of the dedication and professionalism of the Police who keep our democracy safe. Thank you.’
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