Boris’s Jag pranged as protester runs into road
BORIS Johnson was “wholly unscathed” when his official car was pranged after a protester leapt into the road.
The demonstrator, raising concerns about Turkish bombing raids against Kurdish rebels, ran into the path of the saloon carrying the Prime Minister yesterday.
A police car slammed into the back of the prime ministerial Jaguar as the convoy screeched to a halt. The accident happened at Parliament’s gates as Mr Johnson was returning to Downing Street after Prime Minister’s Questions.
The Metropolitan Police said a man had been arrested for offences under Section Five of the Public Order Act and for obstructing the highway.
The convoy drove off shortly afterwards with a large dent visible in the Jaguar’s boot.
Scotland Yard said: “Two police vehicles were involved in a collision in Parliament Square.
“The vehicles were part of a security movement.
“A pedestrian is reported to have stepped
on to the road, causing the vehicles to suddenly stop, which has led to two of the vehicles being involved in a damage-only collision.
“No injuries have been reported.”
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told the daily Downing Street coronavirus press conference that the Prime Minister was “wholly unscathed and I believe everyone else escaped safely from that situation”.
Steve Bray, the campaigner known as “Mr Stop-Brexit” who holds a daily pro-Brussels vigil outside the Commons, said: “We were outside Parliament, as we are every Wednesday after Prime Minister’s Questions, to welcome Boris in our usual style. But today was slightly different. There was a Kurdish protest across the road. They were chanting ‘Turkey is a fascist state’ but as soon as they saw Boris’s car leave it was like a red flag to a bull.
“A Kurd ran into the road and the lead motorbike rider tried to grab him to stop him getting in the way.
“Everybody stopped except Boris’s close security driver in the Range Rover behind.”
Mr Bray, 50, added: “The man definitely jumped out deliberately. He was trying to gain attention for his cause, but I don’t think it worked. He probably caused a car crash.”
He joked: “Every day is a car crash with Boris Johnson so it’s just a standard day at Parliament.”