Man detained after entering grounds of Houses of Parliament

Armed police arrest man who is believed to have entered over the walls of the Palace of Westminster

A man has been detained by armed police after breaching security to enter the grounds of the Houses of Parliament.

The man is believed to have entered over the walls and was stopped in New Palace Yard. It is not being treated as a terrorist incident.

A Metropolitan police spokesperson said: “A man was detained and arrested at Carriage Gates inside the Palace of Westminster on suspicion of trespassing on a protected site. Enquiries into the circumstances continue.”

Witnesses said the man was spoken to by police for some time after being handcuffed. He was then transferred to a police van, which was driven out through the gates of the Palace of Westminster.

Eliot Keck, a parliamentary staffer, tweeted: “Just saw someone climb into parliament. Quickly tasered and guns immediately drawn. Impressive performance from the police.”

New Palace Yard was the site of a terrorist attack in 2018 by Khalid Masood, who fatally stabbed PC Keith Palmer after mowing down and killing four pedestrians on Westminster Bridge. The attack led to a significant review of how the area was policed.