The Metropolitan Police have carried out a controlled explosion on a vehicle outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington, London.
Police evacuated part of Kensington High Street and the area around the local Tube station on Wednesday afternoon as a precautionary measure.
Police have blown up* a suspicious car left in Palace Green, near Israeli Embassy and High Street Kensington, W8. (*controlled explosion)
— Chris Greenwood (@crimereporter) June 8, 2016
Met Police say there was a controlled explosion of a car outside Israeli Embassy in #Kensington. Car is no longer deemed suspicious.
— Emily Bryan (@EmilyBryan) June 8, 2016
#BREAKING: Police carry out explosion outside Israeli embassy next to Kensington Palace #London pic.twitter.com/MAMhyusk3S
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) June 8, 2016
The Met has described the security operation as “routine,” Sky News reports, and says that the alert is over.
The embassy is located on Palace Green, close to the British royal family’s Kensington Palace residence.
Officers attended the scene upon reports of a suspicious vehicle, but following a controlled explosion, said it was no longer considered suspicious.
Police lockdown #Wholefoods Kensington with ‘1,000 people inside’. Gridlock. Terror alert? pic.twitter.com/5yAxg3meiY
— Steve Nimmo (@SteveNimmo1) June 8, 2016
Police boats cruising Thames earlier and now a suspect car I’m told near Kensington High Street. London feels jumpy pic.twitter.com/54bu2xqlUB
— Lisa Millar (@LisaMillar) June 8, 2016
Just been evacuated from #Kensington High Street by police. Not sure what’s happening pic.twitter.com/aZY86ewMx3
— Andrea Minonne (@andrea_minonne) June 8, 2016
Transport for London later tweeted that the roads closed during the security alert have been reopened.
A315 Kensington High Street / Kensington Palace Gardens – road re-open, hacing earlier been closed during a police incident.
— TfL Traffic News (@TfLTrafficNews) June 8, 2016