Counter-terror police are investigating discarded items near the Israeli embassy in London after a video was posted online threatening to attack the embassy with drones carrying dangerous substances. Kensington Gardens, close to the Embassy of Israel, was cordoned off on Friday while officers assess the items.
The Metropolitan Police said there is not believed to be any increased public safety risk at this stage, but urged people to avoid the area. “While we can confirm that the Embassy has not been attacked, we are carrying out urgent enquiries to determine the authenticity of the video and to identify any potential link between it and the items discarded in Kensington Gardens,” a police statement said.
The Israeli embassy confirmed that all staff are safe and that the embassy was not attacked. “A suspected security incident is being investigated in the park adjacent to the Embassy of Israel in London,” a spokesperson said. The incident follows three arson attacks in north-west London over the past month, two of which are being investigated as antisemitic hate crimes.
Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing Vicki Evans said the incidents occur against a backdrop of global instability and sustained hostile activity on UK soil. “We are now dealing with an unprecedented level of national security investigations with suspected links to foreign states,” she said, adding that those responsible will be caught and face justice.
