Jesus Christ, Parliament is under attack
BY BEN GLAZE
AT 2.39pm yesterday, I was sitting in the Daily Mirror’s Parliamentary office in Westminster when I saw a man get shot.
I was on the phone to my colleague Tricia Phillips, who is based in east London, discussing how to cover a story about pensions.
The Mirror political team occupy one of the prime spots in the Palace of Westminster, overlooking New Palace Yard and Parliament Square outside.
Sitting talking about the triple lock, I was aware of some shouting outside. The kerfuffle was annoying – I was trying to concentrate.
We have become accustomed to the general noise of the traffic and tourists.
But hearing shouting is unusual. Then I heard gunshots. Two, I think. Having spent time with the Army in Afghanistan in 2010, I know what real gunfire sounds like.
I stood up and, as I looked at the source of the disturbance, heard another shot and saw a man fall to the ground. He was dressed in dark clothing.
I looked lower and saw a man, not in uniform, pointing what looked like a handgun.
He had shot someone. “Jesus Christ, someone’s been shot in Parliament,” I said to Tricia, interrupting her.
“What? Someone has been shot in Parliament, are you kidding me?” she replied.
“No, someone has been shot. F ****** hell,” I said. Then I noticed someone in police uniform on the floor, a few yards from where the shot man fell.
Dozens of members of the public, including children, had just come through the security checks and were waiting to enter Westminster Hall. They had just witnessed a terrorist attack in Parliament.
A member of security rushed the youngsters into Westminster Hall, out of harm’s way. Within moments, sirens filled Parliament Square, armed police ran to the scene and the area was sealed off.
The heavy, black iron Carriage Gates to Parliament were swiftly being closed as more and more police flooded the scene to help their colleague, who I later learned had been knifed.
Another group raced to tend to the attacker who had just been shot.
Dozens more heavily armed officers rushed to the yard and took up positions, scanning for more attackers.
Police vehicles and ambulances arrived in the square, tourists were ordered back and cordons were set up.
A security guard rushed into our office and told us the building was on lockdown. We were also hearing by phone and on Twitter of some incident on Westminster Bridge.
Outside, it became clear all the efforts to save the police officer had been in vain. The lower part of his body was covered with silver foil, a pale blue blanket was draped over his torso and a red blanket over his face.
Meanwhile, emergency workers were pumping the suspect’s chest.
At about 5.30pm, plain-clothed security officers entered the press gallery to evacuate all the rooms. We were ushered into Westminster Hall.
A security officer told us we would be held for at least 90 minutes.
There, apart from the hum of a police helicopter, Parliament Square was eerily quiet.