Trafalgar Square briefly evacuated over suspect car: 'Not terrorism related'

THE British Police on Saturday (4) morning briefly evacuated London’s Trafalgar Square, close to where events are to be held later to mark Queen Elizabeth’s Premium Jubilee, after a suspicious vehicle was found.

They later said that the security alert had concluded and that the incident was not related to terrorism.

The police took to Twitter to say, “This was investigated and after police took action we have no further concern. This was not terrorism-related.”

Earlier, a police spokesperson said checks were being conducted in the area, a short distance from where the concert is scheduled outside the Buckingham Palace later on Saturday.

Metropolitan police officers were seen asking people to leave the area after getting alerted by someone at 9.22am local time on Saturday. Guests staying at a nearby hotel were also evacuated and the law-keepers asked people not to travel to the area.

The Mirror reported that the square was evacuated amid reports that a suspicious package had been found.

Eyewitnesses also reported hearing a loud noise, though it was not verified officially, the report added.

Sarah Churchill, a tourist who was in Trafalgar Square at the time with her 11-year-old son Noah, told the Mirror: “I was in the square when the bomb went off.”

“There were lots of police, were were just about to walk through the square when we got to corner we saw it was cordoned off. We were speaking to a policeman when the bomb went off without any warning,” she added.

“He had told us it was a suspicious package, I don't know if was a controlled explosion, but no one told us it was about to go off,” she said, adding, “The policeman looked shocked.”

The Scotland Yard later confirmed that a “small controlled explosion” had been conducted and assured that the incident was not terror-related, The Guardian reported.

(With Reuters inputs)