London:
A man carrying a sword was arrested in Hainaut, east of London, after several people were attacked and injured, the Metropolitan Police said on Tuesday.
Police said they were called just before 7am (0600 GMT) after a vehicle crashed into a house reporting that “people have been stabbed”.
“It is our understanding at this time that the suspect subsequently assaulted other members of the public and two police officers,” the statement said.
“We are waiting for an update on the condition of the injured.”
The London Ambulance Service said its teams treated five people and took them all to hospital. There was no immediate word on their condition.
Police and emergency services are dealing with a serious incident in Hainaut in which a man was arrested with a sword.
Read and share our latest update below.
We do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the wider community; this incident does not appear to be related to terror. pic.twitter.com/M2ljxeBu32
— Redbridge MPS (@MPSRedbridge) April 30, 2024
The Met, which oversees a 1,605 square kilometer area of Greater London, said a 36-year-old man was arrested at the scene.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: “This incident does not appear to be terror related.”
Video footage and photos posted on social media appeared to show a man on the street near homes with what appeared to be a Samurai-style sword.
Emergency vehicles, including police, fire brigades and ambulances, were seen behind cordons, including near the city's metro station.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was “absolutely devastated” when he heard of the incident and was in close contact with the Met police commissioner.
“The police stations and emergency services showed the best of our city: running towards danger to protect others and I thank them from the bottom of my heart,” he said.
Last week, Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak criticized the Labor mayor's record on knife crime in the British capital.
According to official statistics, knife crime in London rose by 20 per cent in 2023, with 14,577 offenses – one per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels in the year to March 2020.
In England and Wales as a whole, there was a seven per cent increase in knife crime to 49,489 offences, most of which (29 per cent) in urban areas, the Official for National Statistics said.