A person was wounded in a stabbing outdoors the British Museum in central London on Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police mentioned, 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 mentioned in an announcement. The assault occurred at about 10 a.m. close to the entrance entrance of the museum, certainly one of London’s hottest vacationer points of interest. The museum was evacuated and later closed for about two hours.
By noon, there was a heavy police presence outdoors the museum, and a number of other close by eating places had closed.
The British Museum, which had greater than 4 million visits final 12 months, mentioned in an announcement that it had elevated safety. By early afternoon, the museum had reopened, and a line of a number of hundred folks waited outdoors to enter.
Lindsay McCollum, who was visiting London from California, mentioned she been ready to enter the museum for only a few minutes when she heard in regards to the assault.
“We’re in a giant metropolis, and issues occur,” mentioned Ms. McCollum, 46.
One other vacationer, Spencer Havener, 25, from Colorado, mentioned 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 the moment, good day to go to the museum, stroll round inside,” he mentioned.
Knife crime in Britain has been a persistent downside, though within the 12 months ending in March 2023, the variety of assaults was 7 % decrease than prepandemic ranges, in response to the newest authorities figures.
In 2016, one individual was killed and 5 others have been 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.
