Man charged after dramatic police swoop on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace

A man arrested in a dramatic swoop by police outside Buckingham Palace has been charged with possession of a knife.

Jahiem Meade was charged on Wednesday evening, one day after the UK was put on high-alert with extra armed officers and soldiers deployed across London.

The 22-year-old, of Loddiges Road, Hackney, will appear at magistrates’ court on Thursday.

Officers swarmed around the suspect on the capital’s iconic the Mall on Wednesday morning, just 36 hours after Manchester was shaken in a horrific terror attack.

The incident is not thought to be related to terrorism.

It follows Monday night’s attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Arena when suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22, killed 22 and left more than 100 people injured.

Children including eight-year-old Saffie Roussos and teenagers Georgina Callander and Olivia Campbell were among the victims killed.

Following the Manchester massacre, security officials raised the threat level to critical – the highest level - which means an attack is imminent.

Soldiers have been sent to key locations across the capital for extra security.