Police officers attend to the scene after a vehicle collided with pedestrians near a mosque in the Finsbury Park neighborhood of North London, Britain June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Neil Hall
At least one person was dead and eight injured on Monday after a van mowed down worshippers leaving a mosque in London’s Finsbury Park. One person has been arrested so far after the incident at Seven Sisters Road. The driver, 48, of the van was first detained by the members of the public, then arrested by the police. After describing it as a “major incident”, the police are currently investigating if it was an act of terror.
Reacting to the incident, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), UK’ largest umbrella body, said on Twitter: “We have been informed that a van has run over worshippers as they left FinsburyPark Mosque. Our prayers are with the victims.”
The Metropolitan Police were called in just after 12:20 am (Local time) to the accident site on Seven Sisters Road, where van rammed into pedestrians. Many of the victims were leaving late night prayers after breaking their Ramadan fast.
One eyewitness, as cited by BBC, said, “There was this white van stopped outside Finsbury Park Mosque that seems to have hit people who were coming out of the mosque after prayers finished.”
The witnesses have described the van swerving towards people, reported Guardian describing the nature of the collision.
Also Read: London mosque van collision LIVE updates: PM Theresa May calls it ‘terrible incident’
London Ambulance Service tweeted: “We have sent a number of ambulance crews, advance paramedics and specialist responses teams to the scene.”
We have sent a number of resources to an incident in Seven Sisters Road. More information will follow when we have it.
— London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) June 18, 2017
British Prime Minister Theresa May said that her thoughts were with all those injured. “This is a terrible incident,” May said in an emailed statement. “All my thoughts are with those who have been injured, their loved ones, and the emergency services on the scene.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Twitter that he was “totally shocked” after the incident. Saying that he is in touch with the mosques, police and Islington Council, he said, “My thoughts are with those and the community affected by the awful event.”
I’m totally shocked at the incident at Finsbury Park tonight. pic.twitter.com/1ffKijNs73
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 19, 2017
Mayor Sadiq Khan said, “Emergency services are on the scene and investigating a major incident at Finsbury Park.”
Emergency services are on the scene and investigating a major incident at Finsbury Park. Follow @Metpoliceuk and @Ldn_ambulance for details.
— Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) June 19, 2017
British counter-terrorism police have joined regular police officers investigating the incident at a north London mosque, the Guardian newspaper reported.
Describing the attack “cowardly”, the chairman of the Finsbury Park Mosque said, “Our thoughts and prayers with those who got injured.”
Muslim Council of Britain has put out a statement saying the van driver intentionally “ploughed” into worshippers outside Finsbury Park mosque. The statement described the incident as a “violent manifestation of Islamophobia”.