(Reuters) – A man who assaulted police officers with a four-foot sword outside Queen Elizabeth’s Buckingham Palace residence shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest) was being questioned by counter-terrorism police on Saturday.
Two unarmed officers suffered slight cuts as they detained the man, who drove at a police van on Friday evening, then took the sword from the front passenger foot-well of his car, London’s Metropolitan Police said.
It was too early to say what the man was planning to do, said Commander Dean Haydon, the head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.
“We believe the man was acting alone and we are not looking for other suspects at this stage,” he said. “It is only right that we investigate this as a terrorist incident at this time.”
Europe has been on high alert following a string of militant attacks, including four this year in Britain which killed 36 people. The country’s threat level remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.
No members of the royal family were present in the palace, which is a magnet for tourists in Britain’s capital in the peak August holiday weekend.
“I want to thank the officers who acted quickly and bravely to protect the public last night demonstrating the dedication and professionalism of our police,” Prime Minister Theresa May said in a message on Twitter.
SUSPECT FROM LUTON
A police officer stands at a cordon after police arrested a man carrying a knife outside Buckingham Palace in London, Britain, August 25, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
(Reuters)
The suspect was initially arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and assault on police. He was then further arrested under Britain’s Terrorism Act.
Police said they were investigating a 26-year-old man from the Luton area, an ethnically diverse town 35 miles (55 km) north of London where police have carried out investigations linked to other militant attacks, including one earlier this year on London’s Westminster Bridge.
“My partner saw a sword (…) as well as a policeman with blood on him, looking like his hand or chest was injured. The police officer had it in his hand, walking away with it,” said an unnamed witness quoted by The Times newspaper, who said tourists were running away from the scene.
“Something happened before, which is why the people ran away. I’m not sure what this was. But people were already scared and I saw the policeman pull the man from the car” the witness said.
The suspect was treated at a London hospital for minor injuries, and there were no other reported injuries.
“This is a timely reminder that the threat from terrorism in the UK remains severe,” Haydon added. “The police, together with the security services, are doing everything we can to protect the public and we already have an enhanced policing plan over the Bank Holiday weekend to keep the public safe.”
(Reporting by Elisabeth O’Leary and Kate Holton; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
DENVER – Late Friday evening, almost two full days after a 9NEWS report showing East High School cheerleaders forced into the splits, the Denver Public Schools Superintendent said Coach Ozell Williams has been fired.
Superintendent Tom Boasberg told reporters in a press conference that what he saw in the videos of these cheerleaders was “wrong,” and “dangerous and unacceptable.”
“We do not permit ‘forced splits,’ or any practice, or any technique, that puts the physical safety, emotional well-being of any of our kids at risk,” Boasberg said.
Boasberg said Williams, a well-known tumbler at Broncos and CU football games, should have been fired after parents made the first complaint in June. The principal and athletic director, who knew about the videos months ago, remain “on leave.” When 9NEWS’ Marshall Zelinger asked why they are still employed when Williams is not, Boasberg said that choice is based off of information the district has today.
Boasberg said he was unaware the videos existed until 9NEWS’ information requests. In the press conference, he said that a mother of one of the cheerleaders sent a letter to East High School on June 15. Her message included at least one of the videos that have been seen nationally since the 9Wants to Know report this week.
The principal, assistant principal and athletic director met with the girl, her parents and the cheer coaches the next morning. Boasberg said that the administrators believed any concerns had been addressed at that meeting.
“It is now clear they had not,” Boasberg said Friday. “It is also clear that the decision made at that time, not to terminate the employment of cheer coach Mr. Ozell Williams was wrong.”
To his knowledge, Boasberg said, there had not been further communication between that family and the school after that day.
Boasberg added that the video is “extraordinarily disturbing” and should have been reported to police immediately in June.
The superintendent said administrators have been working closely with Denver Police since Wednesday, when a criminal investigation was opened, and the district has asked an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation of what happened, and who knew about it.
9NEWS has found that Williams was fired from Boulder Valley School District prior to DPS hiring him. When asked why Williams was hired, regardless of that fact, Boasberg said Boulder Valley Schools was left off of Williams’ application, and the references he provided gave him a positive review.
In addition to other staff members, one member of DPS’ legal counsel remains on leave, as well.
“I think that has to do with what communications transpired between the school and the district,” Boasberg said to Zelinger. “Someone from the district knew something back in June. And I think part of the investigation is to establish what was known when by whom.”
The school does not yet have a new cheer coach. Boasberg didn’t directly comment on whether girls seen holding down other cheerleaders in these videos would be punished, but said, rather, that they’re working on bringing everyone together.
Since this story aired, there have been reports of cyberbulling for the girls who reported Williams. The superintendent said administrators are dealing with all those incidents as soon as they’re made aware.
Boasberg said that he was affected as a father by these videos. He said they shocked and scared his own daughters, who he hopes are empowered to say no if they’re in a situation like this.
“On a personal note, as hard as it was, I have watched all of the videos, and as a superintendent, and as a father, and an athlete, they are deeply disturbing,” Boasberg said. “I appreciate that our athletes push themselves hard to fulfill our potential, and our coaches play a critical role in this. But that is not what this is about. This was way beyond that line.”
