Police officers attacked near Buckingham Palace as knifeman held

A terror investigation is under way after two police officers were injured while tackling a man with a large knife outside Buckingham Palace.

Officers approached the man after spotting the knife inside his car, which had been stopped close to a police vehicle at 8.35pm on Friday evening.

Two male officers received minor injuries to their arms while they tried to arrest the man on The Mall, close to the palace’s main entrance.

The man, who is in mid-20s, was initially held on suspicion of assault and grievous bodily harm, before being further arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Several witnesses told Sky News they saw a man being "wrestled to the ground", and one German tourist described hearing a "rumble" followed by "screaming".

Kiana Williamson told the Press Association: "We turned up and there was one police van and one car, there was also a civilian’s car that had veered towards the police car.

"They were trying to get the man out of the car, shouting, more police were arriving on to the scene and the man was fighting back."

Ms Williamson said the incident "lasted around a minute", after which the attacker was "restrained and looked almost unconscious by the side of the road".

Detective Superintendent Guy Collings praised "the quick and brave actions" of the officers, which he said led to the suspect being quickly detained, so preventing any interaction with the public.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment on security issues.

No royals were in residence at the palace at the time of the attack, with the Queen currently on her annual Scottish holiday in Balmoral.

The Metropolitan Police posted on Twitter: "Officers are on scene at the Mall o/s Buckingham Palace. A man has been arrested on suspicion of GBH and assault on police.

"Two police officers suffered minor injuries during the course of detaining the man.

"No other persons have been reported injured. Officers remain on scene and enquiries are ongoing."

London Ambulance Service treated the two injured officers at the scene, before taking them to hospital for further treatment.

The suspect was also treated for minor injuries in hospital, before being taken to a London police station for questioning.

Sky’s Home Affairs Correspondent Mark White said: "This is one of the most secure areas of central London you will see, with armed police on duty outside Buckingham Palace and officers on patrol around the area.

"Given what has happened in London in recent months with terrorist attacks, police have significantly stepped up their patrols, particularly around central London and Parliament."

Crimes around the UK’s royal palaces – Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace – have more than tripled over the last five years.

Just 36 hours after the Manchester attack a man was arrested near Buckingham Palace and charged with carrying an offensive weapon. The incident was not believed to be terrorism related.

(c) Sky News 2017: Police officers attacked near Buckingham Palace as knifeman held