Man arrested after incident outside Buckingham Palace

A man has been arrested outside Buckingham Palace after allegedly throwing items – suspected to be shotgun cartridges – into the palace grounds.

Officers detained the man at about 7pm on Tuesday after he approached the gates of the palace in central London.

The man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, the Metropolitan police said.

Cordons were put in place after the man was also found to be in possession of a suspicious bag, the force added. Specialists attended and after an assessment a controlled explosion was conducted as a precaution.

Ch Supt Joseph McDonald said: “Officers worked immediately to detain the man and he has been taken into police custody. There have been no reports of any shots fired or any injuries to officers or members of the public. Officers remain at the scene and further inquiries are ongoing.”

The king and the queen consort were not at Buckingham Palace at the time.

Police do not believe it was a terrorist incident, and the mental health history of the suspect is being examined. The man arrested is believed to have been acting alone and it is being treated as an isolated incident.

A Metropolitan police spokesperson said: “It is not being treated as a terrorist incident.”

The scare came ahead of Saturday’s coronation, with security tightened for the high-profile ceremonial event.

Armed police who guard the palace can open fire if they perceive a threat to the lives of themselves or others. Police said no shots were fired.

More details soon …