A man ploughed a van into a crowd of people leaving late-night prayers near a well-known mosque in London, killing one and injuring at least eight.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May said police were treating it as a “potential terrorist attack”, while the Metropolitan Police said its Counter Terrorism Command were investigating.
“The driver of the van – a man aged 48 – was found detained by members of public at the scene and then arrested by police in connection with the incident,” the Met said. “At this early stage of this investigation, no other suspects at the scene have been identified or reported to police, however the investigation continues.”
The police statement said there were no reports of knife wounds having been inflicted. The attacker was described by witnesses as caucasian.
Witnesses told news outlets that the van appeared to accelerate when it neared pedestrians leaving the Muslim Welfare House near the Finsbury Park Mosque in London. The van then veered onto the pavement to hit people, witnesses said.
The Muslim Council of Britain, an umbrella group for Islamic organisations in the UK, called the attack a “violent manifestation” of Islamophobia against “ordinary British citizens” and called for increased security outside mosques.
“Many will feel terrorised, no doubt be angry and saddened by what has taken place tonight,” the council said in a statement. “We urge calm as the investigation establishes the full facts.”
Muslims are currently observing Ramadan, which meant that many were at the prayer session that ended close to midnight, and the attack happened soon after.
Many onlookers tweeted video of the scene immediately after the incident, as more than 60 emergency medical crew swarmed the major Seven Sisters Road, alongside police.
Guy runs over two guys near Finsbury park pic.twitter.com/gpjeBAmfxC
— Bilz (@CallmehBillah) June 18, 2017
May described the attack as “terrible”.
Statement from PM Theresa May on #FinsburyPark incident pic.twitter.com/AJgv1XXBwq
— Joshua Hoyos (@JoshuaHoyos) June 19, 2017
You can read our earlier coverage here.