A person was wounded in a stabbing outdoors the British Museum in central London on Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police stated, including that it was an remoted incident and was not being handled as associated to terrorism.
A male suspect was beneath arrest.
The sufferer, who was stabbed within the arm, was taken to the hospital, the police stated in an announcement. The assault occurred at about 10 a.m. close to the entrance entrance of the museum, one in every of London’s hottest vacationer sights. The museum was evacuated and later closed for about two hours.
By noon, there was a heavy police presence outdoors the museum, and several other close by eating places had closed.
The British Museum, which had more than four million visits final yr, stated in an announcement that it had elevated safety. By early afternoon, the museum had reopened, and a line of a number of hundred individuals waited outdoors to enter.
Lindsay McCollum, who was visiting London from California, stated she been ready to enter the museum for just some minutes when she heard concerning the assault.
“We’re in an enormous metropolis, and issues occur,” stated Ms. McCollum, 46.
One other vacationer, Spencer Havener, 25, from Colorado, stated he had been ready in line when he noticed droves of individuals speeding out of the constructing. He had deliberate to go to the museum due to London’s climate on Tuesday.
“I figured it was wet at this time, good day to go to the museum, stroll round inside,” he stated.
Knife crime in Britain has been a persistent downside, though within the yr ending in March 2023, the variety of assaults was 7 % decrease than prepandemic ranges, according to the latest government figures.
In 2016, one person was killed and five others were wounded in a late-night knife assault in Russell Sq., a park near the British Museum within the Bloomsbury district. A 19-year-old man pleaded responsible to manslaughter.
