Driver arrested after crashing into gates of Buckingham Palace

A motorist who crashed his car into the gates of Buckingham Palace has been arrested by London police and taken to hospital.

People walk past the a set of boarded up gates to Buckingham Palace in London on March 10, 2024, after a car crashed into them. Picture: AFP

A motorist has been arrested and taken to hospital after crashing his car into the iron gates of Buckingham Palace.

CCTV footage shows armed police surrounding the driver who is on his knees as they order him to “keep your hands on your head!”.

Police officers swiftly arrived at the scene after the vehicle crashed head on into the main entrance gates of the royal residence in Westminster, central London.

The Metropolitan Police said a man had been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.

Officers arrested a man who crashed a car into the gates of London's Buckingham Palace over the weekend. The Metropolitan Police said the car "collided with the gates". Picture: AFP

A witness said he saw the car careen towards the palace and heard a loud bang at around 2.30am on Sunday.

“I heard a loud bang, and I looked over and the car had crashed into Buckingham Palace,” he said.

This is not the first time there has been an incident outside Buckingham Palace. In May 2023, a man was arrested and a subsequent controlled explosion was carried out.

People walk past the a set of boarded up gates to Buckingham Palace in London on March 10, 2024, after a car crashed into them. Officers have arrested a man. Picture: AFP

“Police were on the scene pretty quickly – and they got the man out and arrested him.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “At approximately 2.30am on Saturday, 9 March a car collided with the gates of Buckingham Palace.

“Armed officers arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage.

“He was taken to hospital where following assessment he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

“He has been released on bail and enquiries continue.

“The matter is not being treated as terror-related.”

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace confirmed no members of the royal family were inside at the time of the crash and repairs to the gates are underway.

More to come

Originally published as Driver arrested after crashing into gates of Buckingham Palace