Panic on London's Oxford Street after reports of shooting

By Estelle Shirbon

 

People run down Oxford Street, London, Britain November 24, 2017. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Panic erupted among Christmas shopping crowds on London's Oxford Street on Friday evening as armed officers raced to respond to reports of shots being fired in the area but police said later they had found no evidence of gunfire or casualties.

 

Oxford Street, with its festive window displays and hundreds of overhead lights, was crammed with shoppers taking advantage of the Black Friday sales when the incident happened shortly after dusk.

 

London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement they had found no evidence of gunfire, casualties or any suspects and that the incident, which lasted for just over an hour, had been stood down.

 

"Given the nature of the information received, the Met responded in line with our existing operation as if the incident was terrorism, including the deployment of armed officers," they said in a statement.

 

A Reuters witness said panicked shoppers had fled Oxford Street and Oxford Circus underground station.

 

The witness saw an elderly lady and a man carrying his child knocked over in the rush. "There were people running in all directions. I didn't know which way to run," the witness said.

 

Britain's transport police said they had received a report of one woman suffering a minor injury in the panic.

 

The capital's transport operator, Transport for London, said Oxford Circus and Bond Street stations, which had been briefly shut due to the incident, had later reopened.

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-11-25

Troll post and reply removed.  

 

Irrespective of what happened or not, this is a worrying xmas season over there. Not the same 30 years ago. Sigh.

Good luck, I think that there is plenty of fear in Britain, France and other places in Europe these days.

Geezer

4 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Irrespective of what happened or not, this is a worrying xmas season over there. Not the same 30 years ago. Sigh.

 

Don't recall IRA being averse to pre-Christmas terrorism.

A troll post and replies have been removed

.........Maybe a car backfiring.

in the late 70's i drove the number 30 and number 6 bus along oxford street, a very busy area all year round, but more so at xmas time. yes the IRA were doing bombings, but wasn't really on everyone's minds, where as now the stabbings and bombings are forefront. any busy public gathering locations in the UK, could be a prime target, and people will be easily spooked 

 

A number 30 bus now a one man operated bus was blown up on 7th July 2005 in Tavistock square central London

Maybe just some firecrackers, celebrating the holidays.  The world has certainly changed.

Oxford Circus: Platform 'altercation' caused tube panic

Quote

Police have released images of two men they want to speak to, after an altercation at a central London Tube station created mass panic on Friday.

Officers want to speak to anyone who was at Oxford Circus underground station at the time of the evacuation.

Sixteen people were treated after they were injured fleeing the station, following reports of gunshots being fired on a Central Line platform.

There was no evidence any weapons had been fired, police said.