Five people are dead after a major terrorist incident near London's Houses of Parliament in Westminster.
A man with a knife was fatally shot by police in the shadow of Big Ben, where he had tried to force his way into a courtyard just outside the Houses of Parliament.
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- Westminster attack: Heroes emerge
The suspect had earlier driven his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge.
Key details
- The suspect mowed down several pedestrians as he drove a grey Hyundai i40 across Westminster Bridge
- PM Theresa May has confirmed he acted alone, despite earlier reports of a second attacker
- Five are confirmed dead - two when the perpetrator rammed his car into pedestrians, a police officer who was stabbed, and the suspect, who was shot. It's not clear yet how the fifth victim died
- MPs and peers spent hours holed up in Westminster Abbey, but have since been released
- The attack has forced a vote on whether to hold another Scottish independence referendum to be postponed
- The attack comes exactly a year after a terror attack in Brussels, and a week after London police held counter-terrorism exercises.
Latest updates
4:12pm An Australian permanent resident has been injured in the attack on Westminster, according to Australia's attorney general George Brandis.
The woman is currently in hospital and is being offered assistance by consular staff.
He added that the people of Australia "stand in solidarity with the people of the United Kingdom".
2:20pm The Greater Manchester Muslim community has condemned the London attack, and expressed their shock and sadness.
"Whoever committed the attack and whatever the motives, our thoughts are with the victims, their families, especially the brave police officers, ambulance and security service officers who challenged and stopped this attack and helped those injured.
"London is our capital and we stand in solidarity with all Londoners – we will not allow those who seek to farm us and divide us to succeed."
2:00pm New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English has condemned the attacks:
"Innocent people should never have to fear such violence when going about their daily lives, and New Zealand stands alongside the UK in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism," he said on Thursday.
"Our thoughts are with the people of London, and in particular with the victims of today's shocking attack, and their families and friends."
While Australian authorities have stepped up security outside Parliament House in Canberra as a precaution, officials in New Zealand believe there is no increased threat in Wellington.
"Established processes are in place to continuously assess security threat levels at Parliament," Parliamentary Services says.
"Our current assessment is there is no increased threat to New Zealand's Parliament."
An MFAT spokesman says: "We advise New Zealanders in London to avoid the Westminster area, follow any instructions issued by the local authorities and let family in New Zealand know they're safe and well."
1:30pm "I heard a thud, turned round and there was a man lying about 10 yards away from me," Reuters photographer Toby Melville says, describing the moment a man fell from London's Westminster Bridge to the pavement below, during the attack in the city.
Melville was standing below the bridge on the south bank of the River Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament at around 2:30pm when the man landed near him.
"There was a lot of blood coming from his head. I thought this must be a domestic or horrible accident," Melville said.
1:20pm Buzzfeed News has compiled an interesting collection of misinformation spreading on social media about the attack, including fake victims and perpetrators, as well as tweets by US President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr.
1:10pm The widower of a British MP who was murdered by a far-right extremist says he doesn't care what the name of the attacker might be.
Brendan Cox paid tribute to Keith Palmer, the police officer stabbed and killed in the attack.
Mr Cox's wife Jo Cox was shot in June 2016.
1:05pm World leaders have reacted strongly, unanimously condemning the attack. Here's some of the most prominent.
12:50pm Chelsea Clinton has tweeted London is "in my heart".
Meanwhile, the UK parliament lockdown is officially over. MPs are expected back at work in the morning, though there could be a delay, with many entrances to the building remaining shut while an investigation takes place.
12:45pm Mourners have begun leaving flowers on Westminster Bridge.
12:25 ITV News has put together a brief blow-by-blow rundown of how the attack was carried out. Check it out in the tweet below.
12:20 Front pages of Thursday morning's newspapers are out, with a photo showing police arresting the suspect dominating.
The Daily Telegraph has gone with the headline 'We will never allow evil to drive us apart,' from PM Theresa May's speech outside Downing St.
The Daily Mirror and City AM have both gone with "Attack on Democracy", while others focused on the word "terror".
The Sun in particular stands out, with its front page blaring "Manian who knifed Britain in the heart".
12:15pm The Eiffel Tower in Paris has gone dark, showing solidarity with the London terror attack victims.
12:10pm A thread on internet forum 4chan posted 24 hours before the attack has been said to contain clues it was going to happen.
Tech news site Gizmodo and newspaper Daily Express say the post contained a picture of two guns, with a string of dots and dashes - Morse code - which led to a page of binary code.
This code, when converted to GPS, points to a location next to Big Ben - close to where the perpetrator crashed his car. One 4chan user cracked the code prior to the attack taking place.
Gizmodo reports the post, because it was made under a guest login, cannot have been altered after the attack.
12pm: Five South Koreans are among those injured on Westminster Bridge, including men and women in their 50s and 60s.
Cab drivers are reportedly taking people home, away from the scene, for free.
11:55am Secretary of State Boris Johnson has called the attack "heartbreaking", adding that it "won't be the last" London lives through.
11:35am The death toll in the Westminster terror attack has risen to five, with the death of another civilian.
London police say they believe they know who the attacker is, but aren't ready to say it publicly.
"Our working assumption is he was inspired by international terrorism," Acting Dep Cmmr Mark Rowley said, hinting the attack was inspired by extreme Islam. He said police will be keeping an eye on "extreme right-wing groups" who might retaliate against Muslim communities.
The injury toll now stands at approximately 40.
Dep Cmmr Mark Rowley asked journalists to use "restraint" in reporting on the suspect's identity "to allow investigations to move forward".
The officer who died, PC Keith Palmer, was unarmed. The 48-year-old had 15 years' experience in the Met Police, and leaves behind a wife and family.
11:25am The Channel 4 reporter who initially identified Abu Izzadeen as the attacker says he trusted his source, but "made a mistake".
11:15am Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadians know how the British are feeling today, having experienced an attack at its own Parliament not long ago.
A gunman killed a soldier and attempted to storm Canada's parliament in October 2014, before being gunned down by police.
"Canadians came together. I am confident the British people will do the same, and will emerge from their grief stronger and more united than ever before," said Mr Trudeau.
"Canadians stand united with the British people in the fight against terrorism. We will continue to work together with the UK and all our allies to show the world that freedom and democracy will always triumph."
11:10am Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has spoken out, saying "the thoughts of everybody in Scotland tonight are with the people caught up in this dreadful event".
The Queen's planned visit to Scotland Yard on Thursday (UK time) has been postponed until a later date.
10:30am Londoners wasted no time in helping the victims - and in the case of a junior doctor, the assailant.
10:15am Footage has emerged on Twitter of the scene on Westminster Bridge immediately after the suspect rammed into pedestrians.
The video shows the offender's car still smoking.
"I was on Westminster when the loud bang happened," wrote Twitter user @claudiascore. "Saw what's on my vid but then saw a man run and shots fired at him. 'Get down!'. Panic."
10am: British PM Theresa May has said the site of the "sick and depraved" attack "was no accident".
"Any attempt to defeat [our values] through violence and terror is doomed to failure."
She confirmed two people were killed when he rammed his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge.
Ms May was inside Parliament when he stormed Parliament's grounds with a knife, and she was whisked away.
"Tragically, one officer was killed. The terrorist was also shot dead."
She also confirmed the UK's terror threat level - severe - would not be changed.
"We will all move forward together, never giving in to terror and never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart."
After giving the speech, she went back inside 10 Downing St without taking any questions. She did not confirm the identity of the perpetrator.
9:50am There's been no word from Buckingham Palace whether a planned trip by the Queen on Thursday (UK time) to Scotland Yard will go ahead, ITV reports.
Green Party co-leader James Shaw has tweeted his thoughts are with "friends and colleagues in London", while Labour leader Andrew Little says he is "very sad" to hear about the attacks.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has confirmed no Australians were affected in the attack.
9:45am Documents appear to suggest Abu Izzadeen, also known as Trevor or Omar Brooks, was due to be released from prison in January.
Brooks is a firebrand hate preacher with a history of offending, and bears a resemblance to a man identified in photographs as the attacker.
His brother and lawyer both say he is still in jail, however.
9:40am MPs have spoken to British media about the moment the attack happened, saying counter-terrorism officers sprung into action within minutes.
Two armed police officers wearing balaclavas broke a door and burst into the House of Commons lobby, surprising MPs, one told The Telegraph.
"We thought they were the terrorists."
9:35am PM Theresa May is expected to speak shortly, having held an emergency COBRA meeting.
Meanwhile, UK Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has called the incident "an attack on our democracy".
"Today's horrific attack in Westminster has shocked the whole country. All our thoughts are with the victims of this outrage, their loved ones, families and friends.
"Those victims include civilians and police officers, Londoners and visitors, subjected to a brutal and indiscriminate assault.
"Our thanks and gratitude go to the police and emergency services who responded so bravely, and to those - including the MP Tobias Ellwood - who went to the aid of the injured and dying."
9:30am Night has fallen in the UK, but London police and media are set for an all-nighter.
9:25am Paris' Eiffel Tower will go dark at midnight to mark the tragedy. It has done the same in recent years for Aleppo, the Charlie Hebdo massacre and the December 2015 terror attacks in which 129 people died, many at an Eagles of Death Metal concert.
9:20am Four-hundred MPs have been let out of Westminster Abbey, where they had been hiding away with tourists. They reportedly gave police and security services a "rousing applause".
Schoolchildren in the public gallery remain locked down, according to the BBC.
9:05am US President Donald Trump has tweeted about the attack, on the official @POTUS account rather than his usual @realDonaldTrump handle. He linked to his Facebook page, where he said:
"President Donald J Trump spoke today with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom to offer his condolences on today's terror attack in London and his praise for the effective response of security forces and first responders.
"He pledged the full cooperation and support of the United States Government in responding to the attack and bringing those responsible to justice."
9am There is doubt the man named in British media as the attacker, Abu Izzadeen, was involved. BBC News is now reporting Izzadeen, also known as Trevor Brooks, is still in jail after being arrested more than a year ago.
8:45am A man who claimed to witness unarmed officers "take down" the attacker on the grounds of parliament has described what he saw.
"As soon as police and guards saw the guy get through Parliament they took him to the ground. Immediately. We are all grateful," Jake Morrison tweeted.
8:40am Donald Trump Jr, son of the US President, has taken aim at London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
"You have to be kidding me?!" he wrote on Twitter, linking to a newspaper report from September last year, when the Mayor said Londoners and others living in major cities "have got to be prepared for these sorts of things".
The President has been uncharacteristically silent on Twitter, his preferred method of communication, but his press secretary Sean Spicer did earlier say the White House "obviously" condemns the attack.
8:25am New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English has said New Zealand's thoughts are with the people of London.
A vote on whether to seek a second Scottish independence referendum has been postponed. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it had to be done after the "dreadful" incident in London.
8:20am Eight patients are at King's College Hospital.
"Two of those are critical, six are stable," assistant medical director Chris Palin told the BBC.
Six are male, two female. It's not clear if the patients were hit by the car or victims of a knife attack.
8:15am Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says an "urgent investigation" is underway, and confirmed the attack is being treated as a "terrorist attack".
8:05am In a statement, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sent his condolences to those affected in the attack.
"The American people send their thoughts and prayers to the people of the United Kingdom. We condemn these horrific acts of violence, and whether they are carried out by troubled individuals or by terrorists, the victims know no difference."
Former UK PM David Cameron has also sent his thoughts to the families of the dead and injured.
8am Flags are flying at half-mast at Scotland Yard.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd thanked emergency services and police for thier swift response to the attack.
"We have the best police, the best security services in the world and we must make sure that we let them get on with doing their job.
"The British people will be united in working together to defeat those who would harm our shared values. Values of democracy, tolerance and the rule of law. Values symbolised by the Houses of Parliament. Values that will never be destroyed."
7:55am A Downing Street spokesperson has issued a statement on behalf of the Prime Minister.
"The thoughts of the PM and the government are with those killed and injured in this appalling incident, and with their families."
Met Police Federation chair Ken Marsh expressed similar sympathies.
"We offer our deepest sympathy to the family of the officer who has died. This incident shows the dangers our colleagues face on a daily basis."
A police officer was among those killed.
7:45am German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed solidarity with London, saying she is "deeply shocked by attacks on police & members of public" in a tweet.
French President Francois Hollande also expressed support, saying "France knows what the British people are suffering today".
British Prime Minister Theresa May has left Downing Street, in a convoy of vehicles flanked by armed police. She will soon be chairing a meeting of COBRA, the UK's crisis response unit.
7:40am If the attacker's intention was to disrupt Parliament, it looks like he's failed - both the House of Commons and the House of Lords will sit as normal.
7:55am A Downing Street spokesperson has issued a statement on behalf of the Prime Minister.
"The thoughts of the PM and the government are with those killed and injured in this appalling incident, and with their families."
Met Police Federation chair Ken Marsh expressed similar sympathies.
"We offer our deepest sympathy to the family of the officer who has died. This incident shows the dangers our colleagues face on a daily basis."
A police officer was among those killed.
7:45am German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed solidarity with London, saying she is "deeply shocked by attacks on police & members of public" in a tweet.
French President Francios Hollande also expressed support, saying "France knows what the British people are suffering today".
British Prime Minister Theresa May has left Downing Street, in a convoy of vehicles flanked by armed police. She will soon be chairing a meeting of COBRA, the UK's crisis response unit.
7:40am If the attacker's intention was to disrupt Parliament, it looks like he's failed - both the House of Commons and the House of Lords will sit as normal.
7:35am There is speculation the attacker is London-born Islamic hate preacher Abu Izzadeen, who has in the past openly talked about committing a suicide attack and praised the July 7, 2005 London attacks as "praiseworthy".
7:25am No Kiwis are believed to have been caught up in the chaos in London.
7:20am US President Donald Trump has been briefed on the attacks, telling reporters at the White House he was late for a meeting due to the "big news" in London.
His press secretary Sean Spicer said the US administration "obviously condemn today's attack in Westminster" at his daily news conference.
7:15am Police are confident there was only a single attacker, who is now dead.
The photo below shows the attacker being wheeled away after his arrest. Images taken shortly beforehand show police pointing their guns at him, as he lies on the ground.
7:10am The stabbed police officer died despite a desperate effort to save his life by an MP.
Tory MP Tobias Ellwood gave the officer mouth-to-mouth and applied pressure to his wounds in an unsuccessful attempt to save him.
Mr Ellwood's brother Jonathan was killed in the 2002 Bali bombing by an Islamic militant group.
7:05am Four people have now been reported killed in the incident, according to police.
The Muslim Council of Britain has condemned the attack, though noting as yet there is no proof the attacker was Muslim.
"Our thoughts and prayers are for the victims and those affected. We pay tribute too to the police and emergency services who handled this with bravery."
7am Hundreds have been sheltered in Westminster Abbey, after being evacuated from Parliament - including MPs, peers and tourists. It's expected to take 90 minutes to process everyone, and see if they have any information about what's happened.
London's lockdown has seen people riding on the city's Eye attraction stuck in the air.
6:55am The BBC reports the UK's terror threat level, currently at severe, will not be raised to critical.
6:50am Three French teenagers are among those injured, media in France is reporting. One ended up on the hood of the attacker's car.
Innocent people mowed down on bridge
The attacker mowed down several pedestrians as he drove a grey Hyundai i40 across Westminster Bridge before crashing it into railings then running through the gates of the Palace of Westminster and stabbing the officer
Eyewitnesses said he was shot by police as he approached a second officer clutching his knife.
He left a trail of destruction as paramedics tended to his victims on the bridge and at the gate.
Two people were seen to be lying within Old Palace Yard, immediately outside Westminster Hall and were believed to be the attacker and the stabbed police officer.
The sitting in the House of Commons was suspended while police officers sealed off the area around the incident.
Immediately before the incident, a crowd of passers-by was seen running from the direction of Westminster Bridge and around the corner into Parliament Square.
Witness Rick Longley told the Press Association that he saw a man stab the policeman outside Britain's Parliament.
"We were just walking up to the station and there was a loud bang and a guy, someone, crashed a car and took some pedestrians out," he said.
"They were just laying there and then the whole crowd just surged around the corner by the gates just opposite Big Ben.
"A guy came past my right shoulder with a big knife and just started plunging it into the policeman."
Daily Mail political editor Jason Groves said he witnessed the scene from his office window and described the moment the assailant was shot.
"A guy comes through the vehicle entrance wielding something, towards a copper, the copper tumbles," he said.
"The man's running towards Westminster Hall, and then you've got a plainclothes copper comes running out.
"Not from the gate, but from the inside, shoots him once from maybe 10 or 15 yards away with a handgun, and then gets closer to him and shoots him again from over him and he doesn't get up."
Commons leader David Lidington told MPs a "police officer has been stabbed" and the "alleged assailant was shot by armed police" following a "serious" incident within the parliamentary estate.
Prime Minister Theresa May was seen being ushered into a silver Jaguar in the grounds of the palace as what sounded like gunfire rang out at around 2:45pm, while members of parliament were ordered into a lobby by gun-wielding counter-terrorism police officers.
Press Association reporter Laura Harding, who was in Westminster at the time of the incident, said: "Everyone has been evacuated into Central Lobby, including a group of schoolchildren and kitchen staff.
Scotland's devolved parliament will increase security measures with immediate effect.
"While there is no intelligence to suggest there is a specific threat to Scotland, Edinburgh or Holyrood (the devolved parliament), we have increased security with immediate effect at the Scottish Parliament as a precaution," parliament's chief executive office said in a statement.
"We are aware of a developing situation at Westminster this afternoon and are monitoring matters very closely," it added.
Police say they are treating it as a terrorist incident.
Reuters / Newshub.
