Man arrested after crashing car into Buckingham Palace gates

LONDON: Police officers have arrested a man who crashed a car into the gates of Buckingham Palace in London over the weekend, authorities said Sunday.

The Metropolitan Police said the car “collided with the gates” of the royal residence at 2:30 am (0230 GMT) on Saturday. No one was injured in the incident.

Armed officers arrested the man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and he was taken to hospital, the force said in a statement.

After an assessment he was detained under the Mental Health Act, the force said, but he has since been released on bail and enquiries continue.

The matter is not being treated as terror-related.

Security measures at Buckingham Palace, the British royal family’s official residence, are stringent, with the building in the heart of the capital constantly monitored by armed officers.

The palace has faced several break-in attempts in the past.

In September last year, a 25-year-old man was arrested after trying to enter the royal stables.

Ahead of King Charles III’s coronation last May, a man was arrested for throwing shotgun cartridges into the palace grounds.

The same month, a 43-year-old man was arrested for ramming his car into the gates that guard Downing Street, the residence of Britain’s prime minister.