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London attack: What we know so far

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London Bridge and nearby Borough Market in London are in lockdown after two separate terror attacks. There are also reports of a third incident at Vauxhall, but police say it is not related.

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Multiple terror attacks strike London

British police rushed to several incidents in central London on Saturday after a van ploughed into pedestrians on London Bridge and reports of multiple stabbings in the nearby Borough Market area.

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What we know

  • Terrorists carrying large knives drove a white van into pedestrians on London Bridge on Saturday night before heading to busy restaurant area Borough Market where they slashed and stabbed patrons.
  • Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley has confirmed six victims are dead as are the three men involved in the attack.
  • London Ambulance Service has taken 48 people to five hospitals and treated scores of others for less serious injuries at the scene. 
  • One of the first officers on the scene was an on-duty British Transport Police officer who responded to calls for help from the public coming from the London Bridge incident. He was stabbed receiving serious, but not life-threatening, injuries to his head, face and leg. He is being treated in a London hospital.
  • Police were called to London Bridge at 10.08pm, responding to reports of a vehicle crash with pedestrians.
  • Shortly after they responded to reports of stabbings in the Borough Market area. 
  • Assistant Commissioner Rowley said the three attackers were shot within eight minutes of the first call.
  • They were wearing what looked like explosive devices – including canisters strapped to their bodies – but Assistant Commissioner Rowley says these were revealed to be hoaxes.
  • At 12.25am, both incidents were declared terrorist attacks.
  • A Vauxhall stabbing initially thought to be part of the London Bridge and Borough Market attacks is unrelated, police say.

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  • There are reports of explosions at The Sun newspaper office, which is located in the Borough Market area.
  • A BBC reporter on the bridge at the time says she saw police arrest and handcuff a shirtless man just after the incident.
  • There are reports the men jumped from the van with 30-centimetre long machetes, slashing at passers by.
  • Witnesses say the attackers tried to get inside restaurants and bars with knives in their hands and canisters strapped to their bodies. Patrons threw tables and chairs and pint glasses at the men to defend themselves.
  • The BBC has tweeted a photograph of a man with canisters strapped to his body on the ground with police.
  • Sky News is reporting that one suspect is believed to have been shot by police at Borough Market.
  • Armed police are still pouring into the area.
  • ​Witnesses are reporting up to three bodies lying on the ground. They also say some of the stabbings occurred on London Bridge.
  • London's Metropolitan Police have issued a chilling tweet warning Londoners to "Run, Hide, Tell" if confronted by a dangerous person.
  • Police were seen charging into The Blue Eyed Maid bar in Borough High Street.
  • Police boats are searching the River Thames for anyone who may have fallen from the bridge.
  • Federal Labor MP Sam Dastyari says he was at a restaurant near the attack and was evacuated past the "horrific events". He, like others in the busy restaurant area, was locked upstairs where he was dining. He was then escorted out by police.
  • Video has emerged of police yelling at restaurant and bar patrons to get under cover and hide.
  • There is footage emerging of Londoners leaving restaurants under police escort with their hands on their heads, while hotel guests were evacuated from their hotel rooms in their pyjamas. 
  • London Bridge underground station has been closed at the request of the police, as have the Network Rail stations of Waterloo East, Charing Cross and Cannon Street.


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London attacks
  • British Prime Minister Theresa May says the "terrible incident" in London is being treated as a "potential act of terrorism".
  • Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has described the incident as a cowardly attack.
  • Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says it is too early to tell whether any Australians were involved.
  • Shortly after the London Bridge van incident, police were called to Borough Market where there were reports of at least three people with knife wounds and shots fired.
  • The terrorist attack comes a little over two months after the Westminister Bridge attack in which four people were killed and more than 50 injured when Briton, Khalid Masood, 52, drove a car into pedestrians.

What we don't know

  • Who is responsible?
  • Whether there are others still at large?
  • How many people were involved in the attack?

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