A few hours before the coronation ceremony of King Charles III, a tense moment put Buckingham Palace security on alert. The incident ended with an explosion and a man arrested in front of Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the British monarchy.
This Tuesday, May 2, 2023, Police detained a man “suspected of being armed” who approached Buckingham Palace and threw what appeared to be rifle cartridges to the ground, the London Metropolitan Police said.
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Explosion at Buckingham Palace
Following the arrest, the site was secured after the man was found to be in possession of a “suspicious bag,” the police statement added.
“Specialists arriving at the scene carried out a controlled explosion of the bag as a precaution, following an assessment”. The objects thrown by the man were recovered and taken for specialist examination.
Metropolitan Police Chief Constable Joseph McDonald said “there are no reports of shots fired and no reports of injuries to police and members of the public”.
Man arrested outside Buckingham Palace
The identity of the man who endangered the security of the Palace is unknown. However, the police chief said the suspect was immediately arrested and is in police custody.
The man was dressed in an olive green vest and plaid shirt. The arrest was made outside the Palace gates, near a security hut where armed officers are stationed.
A witness told The Sun that the suspect had stationed himself outside the Palace over the “last few nights” and was heard shouting, “I’m going to kill the King”.
Ade Adelekan, the deputy assistant commissioner, said in statements reviewed by BBC that the man approached the police asking to see a soldier, but when he was told that was not possible he allegedly began throwing shotgun shells over the palace gates.
The officer added that the suspect has undergone a mental health assessment and had been deemed fit for interrogation.
Buckingham Palace incident
Buckingham Palace staff declined to comment on the incident. British media reported that neither King Charles, 74, nor his wife Queen Camilla, 75, were at the scene.
Is Buckingham Palace open to the public?
Buckingham Palace opens its doors to the public for a few weeks each year. You can visit the interior of Buckingham Palace for 10 weeks from the end of July 2023. The rest of the year it serves as the King’s office and residence in London. But since 1993, during the summer months, the palace opens its doors to the public.
However, due to the date and preparations for the coronation, it remains closed. In fact, the road leading to Buckingham Palace was closed to traffic in anticipation of the ceremony scheduled for this Saturday.
