Police in protective clothing are responding to an incident near the Israeli embassy in central London as counter-terrorism officers investigate a video shared online overnight in which a group claimed to have targeted the embassy with drones carrying “dangerous substances”.
The Metropolitan police said there was an increased police presence in Kensington Gardens as officers investigated a number of “discarded items”, and they urged people to avoid the area while they carried out their work.
A video that appears to have been posted by an Iran-linked Islamist group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, showed a target over an image of the Israeli embassy, and people wearing hazmat suits flying drones, the PA news agency reported.
Police said the embassy had not been attacked but detectives were carrying out inquiries to determine the authenticity of the video and to identify any potential link between it and the discarded items.
Divers from the Metropolitan police underwater and confined space search team attended near the bandstand in Kensington Gardens. The Round Pond ornamental lake is situated just north of the bandstand and to the east of Kensington Palace in the gardens. Dogs from the London fire brigadealso attended.
The Met said: “There is an increased police presence in Kensington Gardens and officers are assessing a number of discarded items. As a precaution, some of the officers who have been deployed are wearing protective clothing. We recognise this may concern local residents and the wider public.
“We do not believe there to be any increased public safety risk at this stage, but we would urge people to avoid the area while officers carry out their work. There are cordons in place and there is no public access to the gardens and the surrounding area.
“Counter Terrorism Policing London are aware of a video shared online overnight in which a group claim to have targeted the nearby embassy of Israel with drones carrying dangerous substances.
“While we can confirm that the embassy has not been attacked, we are carrying out urgent inquiries to determine the authenticity of the video and to identify any potential link between it and the items discarded in Kensington Gardens. We will provide further updates when we are able to.”