LONDON — Terror struck at the heart of London on Saturday night as attackers killed seven people in a series of vehicle and knife attacks before police shot them dead.

The assault began when a van veered off the road and barrelled into pedestrians on London Bridge. Three men fled the van with large knives and attacked people at bars and restaurants in nearby Borough Market, police and witnesses said.

Emergency officials said 48 people were treated at London hospitals, including some with life-threatening injuries, and a number of others suffered less serious injuries.

The violence turned a summery night in an area packed with revellers into a scene of panic and chaos, with officers running through crowded streets screaming for people to flee. Lifeboats on the River Thames helped evacuate the area.

The Metropolitan Police force declared the attacks “terrorist incidents.” Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said that while they believe all the attackers were killed, the investigation continued.

“We believe three people were involved, but we still have got some more inquiries to do to be 100% confident in that,” he said.

As dawn broke over the capital, a large area on the south bank of the River Thames remained cordoned off. Police told people to avoid the area, leaving tourists and revellers struggling to get home.

Only hours before, bursts of gunfire echoed through the streets — likely from armed police — and at least three blasts rang out as officers performed controlled explosions. One image taken by a witness showed a man on the ground surrounded by police; he appeared to be wearing a vest with canisters attached to it.

“The suspects were wearing what looked like explosive vests,” Rowley said. “But these were later established to hoaxes.”

Gerard Vowls told The Guardian newspaper that he saw a woman being stabbed by three men at the south end of London Bridge. He said he threw chairs, glasses and bottles at the attackers in a bid to stop them.

“They kept coming to try to stab me . They were stabbing everyone. Evil, evil people,” he told the newspaper. “I want to know if this girl is still alive. I’ve been walking around for an hour and a half crying my eyes out. I don’t know what to do.”

Bartender Alex Martinez said he hid in a garbage bin for a half hour when a man stormed the restaurant where he worked, which was nearly full.

“I saw that man with a knife in his hand and after that a man started screaming so I knew something wrong was happening,” he said.

Medics treated the injured near the market as shocked people cried and shouted around them. Police officers yelled at people to run from the area.

Simon Thompson told Sky News that he was just outside Borough Market when he saw crowds fleeing.

“We ran for like 100 metres and then saw loads of police cars turned up and there was kind of a period of quite intense gunfire,” he said. “I hid in a restaurant basement for about an hour. ... Police told us to get out and then there was more gunfire.”

Police received the first call of reports of a vehicle hitting pedestrians on London Bridge at 10:08 p.m. (2108 GMT). Rowley said the attackers were dead in eight minutes.

Multiple witnesses reported a vehicle veering off the road and hitting as many as six pedestrians.

Soon after, reports started coming in of stabbings at Borough Market, a nearby area full of bars and restaurants surrounding a popular food market.

Photographer Gabriele Sciotto said he was on his way home from a pub when he saw a man running toward him telling him to turn around and run because there was a terrorist attack. As a documentary filmmaker, though, his instincts were to keep going.

The 25-year-old said that at first, “it didn’t look too dangerous.”

The men went into Borough Market, but then turned around and ran toward the Wheatsheaf Pub after being confronted by a police officer, he said, and suddenly a lot of police came from the other direction.

The attackers “had no clue what they were doing. They were scared. The police were scared,” he said.

After one of the men was shot, Sciotto, captured a photo of the suspect on the ground wearing what appeared to be canisters strapped to his chest.



 Armed police stand over what is believed to be a suspect shot at the scene of a terror attack outside Borough Market in central London on June 3, 2017. (GABRIELE SCIOTTO/AFP/Getty Images)

Police initially said officers were also responding to a third incident, in the Vauxhall neighbourhood, but later said that turned out to be an unrelated stabbing.

Police tweeted a warning telling people in the area to run to safety, hide and then call police if it is safe to do so. They asked Londoners to “remain calm but be alert and vigilant.”

Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed the attack “is being treated as a potential act of terrorism” and said her thoughts were with “those who are caught up in these dreadful events.” May’s office said she would chair a meeting of the government’s COBRA emergency committee on Sunday.

As thousands of people flooded from the area of the attacks — many unable to get home with nearby subway stations shut — locals were quick to offer assistance.

The Royal Oak pub, near the area of the attacks, opened its doors to people evacuated from hotels. At least one taxi company offered free rides to people stranded in the area. Phaldip Singh, who describes himself as an entrepreneur and youth activist, tweeted that Sikh temples were open to provide food and shelter for those affected.

It was the third attack to hit Britain in as many months.

In March, a British convert to Islam ran down people with a vehicle on Westminster Bridge, killing four, then stabbed a policeman to death outside Parliament.

On May 22, a British suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured dozens at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. After that attack, Britain’s official threat level from terrorism was raised to “critical,” meaning an attack may be imminent. Several days later it was lowered to “severe,” meaning an attack is highly likely.

A charity concert for victims of the Manchester attack, featuring Grande and other stars, is due to be held in the northwest English city on Sunday.

Grande, who visited victims of the Manchester attack in the hospital on Friday, found herself confronted with another terror attack.

Associated Press writer Niko Price contributed to this report.</s>LONDON — Terror struck at the heart of London on Saturday night as attackers killed seven people in a series of vehicle and knife attacks before police shot them dead.

The assault began when a van veered off the road and barrelled into pedestrians on London Bridge. Three men fled the van with large knives and attacked people at bars and restaurants in nearby Borough Market, police and witnesses said.

Emergency officials said 48 people were treated at London hospitals, including some with life-threatening injuries, and a number of others suffered less serious injuries.

The violence turned a summery night in an area packed with revellers into a scene of panic and chaos, with officers running through crowded streets screaming for people to flee. Lifeboats on the River Thames helped evacuate the area.

The Metropolitan Police force declared the attacks “terrorist incidents.” Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said that while they believe all the attackers were killed, the investigation continued.

“We believe three people were involved, but we still have got some more inquiries to do to be 100% confident in that,” he said.

As dawn broke over the capital, a large area on the south bank of the River Thames remained cordoned off. Police told people to avoid the area, leaving tourists and revellers struggling to get home.

Only hours before, bursts of gunfire echoed through the streets — likely from armed police — and at least three blasts rang out as officers performed controlled explosions. One image taken by a witness showed a man on the ground surrounded by police; he appeared to be wearing a vest with canisters attached to it.

“The suspects were wearing what looked like explosive vests,” Rowley said. “But these were later established to hoaxes.”

Gerard Vowls told The Guardian newspaper that he saw a woman being stabbed by three men at the south end of London Bridge. He said he threw chairs, glasses and bottles at the attackers in a bid to stop them.

“They kept coming to try to stab me . They were stabbing everyone. Evil, evil people,” he told the newspaper. “I want to know if this girl is still alive. I’ve been walking around for an hour and a half crying my eyes out. I don’t know what to do.”

Bartender Alex Martinez said he hid in a garbage bin for a half hour when a man stormed the restaurant where he worked, which was nearly full.

“I saw that man with a knife in his hand and after that a man started screaming so I knew something wrong was happening,” he said.

Medics treated the injured near the market as shocked people cried and shouted around them. Police officers yelled at people to run from the area.

Simon Thompson told Sky News that he was just outside Borough Market when he saw crowds fleeing.

“We ran for like 100 metres and then saw loads of police cars turned up and there was kind of a period of quite intense gunfire,” he said. “I hid in a restaurant basement for about an hour. ... Police told us to get out and then there was more gunfire.”

Police received the first call of reports of a vehicle hitting pedestrians on London Bridge at 10:08 p.m. (2108 GMT). Rowley said the attackers were dead in eight minutes.

Multiple witnesses reported a vehicle veering off the road and hitting as many as six pedestrians.

Soon after, reports started coming in of stabbings at Borough Market, a nearby area full of bars and restaurants surrounding a popular food market.

Photographer Gabriele Sciotto said he was on his way home from a pub when he saw a man running toward him telling him to turn around and run because there was a terrorist attack. As a documentary filmmaker, though, his instincts were to keep going.

The 25-year-old said that at first, “it didn’t look too dangerous.”

The men went into Borough Market, but then turned around and ran toward the Wheatsheaf Pub after being confronted by a police officer, he said, and suddenly a lot of police came from the other direction.

The attackers “had no clue what they were doing. They were scared. The police were scared,” he said.

After one of the men was shot, Sciotto, captured a photo of the suspect on the ground wearing what appeared to be canisters strapped to his chest.



 Armed police stand over what is believed to be a suspect shot at the scene of a terror attack outside Borough Market in central London on June 3, 2017. (GABRIELE SCIOTTO/AFP/Getty Images)

Police initially said officers were also responding to a third incident, in the Vauxhall neighbourhood, but later said that turned out to be an unrelated stabbing.

Police tweeted a warning telling people in the area to run to safety, hide and then call police if it is safe to do so. They asked Londoners to “remain calm but be alert and vigilant.”

Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed the attack “is being treated as a potential act of terrorism” and said her thoughts were with “those who are caught up in these dreadful events.” May’s office said she would chair a meeting of the government’s COBRA emergency committee on Sunday.

As thousands of people flooded from the area of the attacks — many unable to get home with nearby subway stations shut — locals were quick to offer assistance.

The Royal Oak pub, near the area of the attacks, opened its doors to people evacuated from hotels. At least one taxi company offered free rides to people stranded in the area. Phaldip Singh, who describes himself as an entrepreneur and youth activist, tweeted that Sikh temples were open to provide food and shelter for those affected.

It was the third attack to hit Britain in as many months.

In March, a British convert to Islam ran down people with a vehicle on Westminster Bridge, killing four, then stabbed a policeman to death outside Parliament.

On May 22, a British suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured dozens at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. After that attack, Britain’s official threat level from terrorism was raised to “critical,” meaning an attack may be imminent. Several days later it was lowered to “severe,” meaning an attack is highly likely.

A charity concert for victims of the Manchester attack, featuring Grande and other stars, is due to be held in the northwest English city on Sunday.

Grande, who visited victims of the Manchester attack in the hospital on Friday, found herself confronted with another terror attack.

Associated Press writer Niko Price contributed to this report.</s>NEW YORK (AP) — Does it feel like forever since we lost the style, splendor and scandals of "Downton Abbey?"

Well, dust off your jewels and put up the kettle because the twists and turns at...</s>Prime Minister Theresa May called Sunday for tougher measures to contain Islamic extremism in Britain after an attack that killed seven people in a busy area of London and disrupted Britain's election campaign just days before a nationwide vote.The assault began Saturday night when a van veered off the road and barreled into pedestrians on busy London Bridge. Three men fled the van with large knives and attacked people at bars and restaurants in nearby Borough Market, police and witnesses said. The attack unfolded quickly, and police said officers shot and killed the three attackers within eight minutes.Emergency officials said 48 people were treated at London hospitals, including some with life-threatening injuries, and a number of others suffered less serious injuries.It was the third attack in Britain in the past three months. Britain was already on edge after a suicide bombing two weeks ago at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, in northwest England, that killed 22 people and injured dozens of others. Grande and other stars are scheduled to perform a benefit concert for victims under tight security in Manchester Sunday night.The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the Manchester bombing, but there has not yet been a claim of responsibility for the London attack, which the prime minister linked to Islamic extremism.May, facing an election Thursday, said the recent attacks, including an earlier one outside Parliament in March, are not directly connected, but that "terrorism breeds terrorism" and attackers copy one another. She also said five credible plots have been disrupted since March."They are bound together by the single evil ideology of Islamist extremism that preaches hatred, sows division, and promotes sectarianism," she said. "It is an ideology that claims our W It was the third attack to hit Britain in as many months.In March, a British convert to Islam ran down people with a vehicle on Westminster Bridge, killing four before fatally stabbing a policeman on Parliament's grounds.Then came the May 22 Manchester concert bombing. After that attack, Britain's official terrorism threat level was raised from "severe" to "critical," meaning an attack may be imminent. Several days later it was lowered again to "severe," meaning an attack is highly likely.May called on international communications companies to do more to block cyberspace to extremist groups who use it for recruitment and for encrypted information about plots.She called for international agreements to regulate cyberspace and said Britain needs to become more robust at preventing the internet from being used to the advantage of extremist groups.The British government has long sought more help from internet companies like Facebook and Google in the battle against extremism.May spoke defiantly about protecting Britain's democracy - and vowed the election would go ahead as planned - after the violence turned a balmy summer night in an area packed with revelers into a scene of bloodshed and chaos, with officers running through crowded streets screaming for people to flee.Boats on the River Thames helped evacuate the area, which is popular with tourists. It remained closed off Sunday as police urged residents and tourists to stay away.May said the men attacked "innocent and unarmed civilians" in crowded Borough Market with blades and knives. She said they were wearing what appeared to be explosive vests, but police determined those were only meant to sow panic and fear.Major parties suspended national campaigning Sunday out of respect for the victims, although the rightwing UK Independence Party said it would keep campaigning to show the extremists they couldn't sidetrack democracy.May's Conservative Party had been expected to win by a wide margin but recent polls have showed the race tightening considerably. It is unclear how the unprecedented violence in the run-up to the election will impact voter sentiment.Mayor Sadiq Khan said Londoners should remain vigilant but added: "I'm reassured we are one of the safest global cities in the world."Khan said some of the injured were in critical condition. French and Spanish citizens were among the wounded.Assistant Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said that while police believe all the attackers were killed, the investigation is expanding."We believe three people were involved, but we still have got some more inquiries to do to be 100 percent confident in that," he said.As dawn broke over the capital, a large area on the south bank of the River Thames remained cordoned off. Police told people to avoid the area, leaving tourists and revelers struggling to get home. London Bridge and the adjacent train station, as well as nearby Borough subway station, were still closed.Only hours before, bursts of gunfire echoed through the streets - likely from armed police - and at least three blasts rang out as officers performed controlled explosions after sweeping the area for possible bombs.Witness Gerard Vowls told The Guardian newspaper that he saw a woman being stabbed by three men at the south end of London Bridge as the assault developed. He said he threw chairs, glasses and bottles at the attackers in a bid to stop them."They kept coming to try to stab me. They were stabbing everyone. Evil, evil people," he told the newspaper. "I want to know if this girl is still alive. I've been walking around for an hour and a half crying my eyes out. I don't know what to do."Bartender Alex Martinez said he hid in a garbage bin for a half hour when a man stormed the nearly full restaurant where he worked."I saw that man with a knife in his hand and after that a man started screaming so I knew something wrong was happening," he said.Medics treated the injured near the market as shocked people cried and shouted around them. Police officers yelled at people to run from the area.Simon Thompson told Sky News that he was just outside Borough Market when he saw crowds fleeing."We ran for like 100 meters and then saw loads of police cars turned up and there was kind of a period of quite intense gunfire," he said. "I hid in a restaurant basement for about an hour. ... Police told us to get out and then there was more gunfire."Police received the first call of reports of a vehicle hitting pedestrians on London Bridge at 10:08 p.m. (2108 GMT).Soon after, reports started coming in of stabbings at Borough Market, a nearby area full of bars and restaurants surrounding a popular food market.Photographer Gabriele Sciotto said he was on his way home from a pub when he saw a man running toward him telling him to turn around and run because there was an attack. As a documentary filmmaker, though, his instincts were to keep going.The 25-year-old said that at first, "it didn't look too dangerous."The men went into Borough Market, but then turned around and ran toward the Wheatsheaf Pub after being confronted by a police officer, he said, and suddenly a lot of police came from the other direction.The attackers "had no clue what they were doing. They were scared. The police were scared," he said.After one of the men was shot, Sciotto captured a photo of the suspect on the ground wearing what appeared to be canisters.Police initially said officers were also responding to a third incident, in the Vauxhall neighborhood, but later said that turned out to be an unrelated stabbing.Police tweeted a warning telling people in the area to run to safety, hide and then call police if it was safe to do so. They asked Londoners to "remain calm but be alert and vigilant."</s>Six people killed and 48 injured in terror incident in London; three attackers shot dead

Six people have been killed and at least 48 injured in a terror incident in London in which three male attackers were shot dead by police. A white van hit pedestrians on London Bridge at about 22:00 BST on Saturday, then three men got out and stabbed people in nearby Borough Market. Police said the three men were wearing fake bomb vests.

One of those hurt is a police officer who was stabbed after going to help. His injuries are not life-threatening.

The Conservatives, Labour and the SNP have suspended national general election campaigning and the prime minister is chairing a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency committee.

Theresa May described Saturday night's events as dreadful, while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called them brutal and shocking.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said it was a deliberate and cowardly attack on innocent Londoners, but the capital remained the safest global city and Londoners would not be cowed by terrorism.

It is the third terror attack in the UK in three months following the car and knife attack in Westminster in March, which left five people dead, and the Manchester bombing less than two weeks ago, in which 22 people were killed.

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said it was believed there were only three attackers involved and the explosive vests they were wearing were hoaxes. One social media user posted a photograph appearing to show an attacker lying on the ground outside a pub in the food market, with the fake vest visible.

Main developments: More than 80 medics were sent to the scene. The injured, some of them critical, are being treated in five London hospitals; The Met Police has set up a casualty bureau on 0800 096 1233 and 020 7158 0197 for people concerned about friends or relatives; Two Australian citizens have been directly impacted, says the country's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull; At least two French citizens have been injured, according to the French president's office, quoted by Reuters.

BBC reporter Holly Jones, who was on the bridge at the time of the attack, said the van was probably travelling at about 50 miles an hour.

He swerved right round me and then hit about five or six people. He hit about two people in front of me and then three behind, Ms Jones told the BBC News channel.

Another eyewitness, Robbie, was sitting in a taxi opposite the Barrowboy and Banker pub on London Bridge.

I saw about 20 or 30 people rushing to get back into the pub and five seconds later a big white van came screeching down the pavement, he told BBC Radio 5 live.

Two or three people jumped out. Initially, I thought it was a road traffic incident and the people had jumped out to see if anyone was injured, but I could tell immediately, they looked very aggressive.

His friend Josh came out of the pub a few seconds later and saw people running up to the bridge from Borough Market.

A chap ran up and I heard him shout, 'He's got a knife, he's stabbing people.'

Another witness, Gerard, told the BBC: They were running up shouting, 'This is for Allah.' They stabbed this girl maybe 10 times, 15 times. She was going, 'Help me, help me.'

Gerard said he chased the attackers, who were running into pubs and bars, and threw bottles, chairs and other items to try to stop them.</s>The attack unfolded quickly, and police said officers had shot and killed the three attackers within eight minutes.

The assault began Saturday night when a van veered off the road and barrelled into pedestrians on London Bridge. (Photo: AP)

London: Police specialists collected evidence in the heart of London after a series of attacks described as terrorism killed seven people and injured 48 others. Prime Minister Theresa May called an emergency security cabinet session Sunday to deal with the crisis.

The assault began Saturday night when a van veered off the road and barrelled into pedestrians on London Bridge. Three men fled the van with large knives and attacked people at bars and restaurants in nearby Borough Market, police and witnesses said. The attack unfolded quickly, and police said officers had shot and killed the three attackers within eight minutes.

The violence turned a summery night in an area packed with revellers into a scene of panic and chaos, with officers running through crowded streets screaming for people to flee. Lifeboats on the River Thames helped evacuate the area.

Read: Trump speaks with PM Theresa May, offers US full support on London terror attacks

Emergency officials said 48 people were treated at London hospitals and a number of others suffered less serious injuries. The Metropolitan Police force declared the attacks "terrorist incidents," but there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Britain was already on edge after a suicide bombing two weeks ago at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, in northwest England, that killed 22 people and injured dozens of others. Grande and other stars are scheduled to perform a benefit concert for victims Sunday night.

The latest attacks come just days before Thursday's general election. May's Conservative Party had been expected to win by a wide margin but recent polls have showed the race tightening. Major parties suspended national campaigning Sunday.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the attackers hoped to disrupt democracy and hamper plans for voting, but that would not happen. He said Londoners should remain vigilant but added: "I'm reassured we are one of the safest global cities in the world."

Assistant Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said that while police believe all the attackers were killed, the investigation continued. "We believe three people were involved, but we still have got some more inquiries to do to be 100 percent confident in that," he said.

As dawn broke over the capital, a large area on the south bank of the River Thames remained cordoned off. Police told people to avoid the area, leaving tourists and revellers struggling to get home.

Read: Pak ‘shocked and saddened’ by London terror attack, condemns it

Khan said some of the injured were in critical condition. French President Emmanuel Macron said French citizens were among the wounded. Only hours before, bursts of gunfire echoed through the streets - likely from armed police - and at least three blasts rang out as officers performed controlled explosions.

One image taken by a witness showed a man on the ground surrounded by police; he appeared to be wearing a vest with canisters attached to it. "The suspects were wearing what looked like explosive vests," Rowley said. "But these were later established to hoaxes."

Gerard Vowls told The Guardian newspaper that he saw a woman being stabbed by three men at the south end of London Bridge. He said he threw chairs, glasses and bottles at the attackers in a bid to stop them.

"They kept coming to try to stab me. They were stabbing everyone. Evil, evil people," he told the newspaper. "I want to know if this girl is still alive. I've been walking around for an hour and a half crying my eyes out. I don't know what to do."

Bartender Alex Martinez said he hid in a garbage bin for a half hour when a man stormed the restaurant where he worked, which was nearly full. "I saw that man with a knife in his hand and after that a man started screaming so I knew something wrong was happening," he said.

Medics treated the injured near the market as shocked people cried and shouted around them. Police officers yelled at people to run from the area.

Simon Thompson told Sky News that he was just outside Borough Market when he saw crowds fleeing. "We ran for like 100 meters and then saw loads of police cars turned up and there was kind of a period of quite intense gunfire," he said. "I hid in a restaurant basement for about an hour. ... Police told us to get out and then there was more gunfire."

Police received the first call of reports of a vehicle hitting pedestrians on London Bridge at 10:08 pm British time (2108 GMT). Soon after, reports started coming in of stabbings at Borough Market, a nearby area full of bars and restaurants surrounding a popular food market.

Photographer Gabriele Sciotto said he was on his way home from a pub when he saw a man running toward him telling him to turn around and run because there was a terrorist attack. As a documentary filmmaker, though, his instincts were to keep going.

The 25-year-old said that at first, "it didn't look too dangerous." The men went into Borough Market, but then turned around and ran toward the Wheatsheaf Pub after being confronted by a police officer, he said, and suddenly a lot of police came from the other direction.

The attackers "had no clue what they were doing. They were scared. The police were scared," he said. After one of the men was shot, Sciotto captured a photo of the suspect on the ground wearing what appeared to be canisters.

Police initially said officers were also responding to a third incident, in the Vauxhall neighborhood, but later said that turned out to be an unrelated stabbing.

Police tweeted a warning telling people in the area to run to safety, hide and then call police if it is safe to do so. They asked Londoners to "remain calm but be alert and vigilant."

May confirmed the attack "is being treated as a potential act of terrorism" and said her thoughts were with "those who are caught up in these dreadful events." Her office said she would chair a meeting of the government's COBRA emergency committee on Sunday.

As thousands of people flooded from the area of the attacks - many unable to get home with nearby subway stations shut - locals were quick to offer assistance.

The Royal Oak pub, near the area of the attacks, opened its doors to people evacuated from hotels. At least one taxi company offered free rides to people stranded in the area. Phaldip Singh, who describes himself as an entrepreneur and youth activist, tweeted that Sikh temples were open to provide food and shelter for those affected.

It was the third attack to hit Britain in as many months. In March, a British convert to Islam ran down people with a vehicle on Westminster Bridge, killing four, and then stabbed a policeman to death outside Parliament.

Then came the May 22 Manchester concert bombing. After that attack, Britain's official terrorism threat level was raised to "critical," meaning an attack may be imminent. Several days later it was lowered to "severe," meaning an attack is highly likely.</s>LONDON — Terror struck at the heart of London on Saturday night as attackers killed seven people in a series of vehicle and knife attacks before police shot them dead.

The assault began when a van veered off the road and barrelled into pedestrians on London Bridge. Three men fled the van with large knives and attacked people at bars and restaurants in nearby Borough Market, police and witnesses said.

Emergency officials said 48 people were treated at London hospitals, including some with life-threatening injuries, and a number of others suffered less serious injuries.

The violence turned a summery night in an area packed with revellers into a scene of panic and chaos, with officers running through crowded streets screaming for people to flee. Lifeboats on the River Thames helped evacuate the area.

The Metropolitan Police force declared the attacks “terrorist incidents.” Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said that while they believe all the attackers were killed, the investigation continued.

“We believe three people were involved, but we still have got some more inquiries to do to be 100% confident in that,” he said.

As dawn broke over the capital, a large area on the south bank of the River Thames remained cordoned off. Police told people to avoid the area, leaving tourists and revellers struggling to get home.

Only hours before, bursts of gunfire echoed through the streets — likely from armed police — and at least three blasts rang out as officers performed controlled explosions. One image taken by a witness showed a man on the ground surrounded by police; he appeared to be wearing a vest with canisters attached to it.

“The suspects were wearing what looked like explosive vests,” Rowley said. “But these were later established to hoaxes.”

Gerard Vowls told The Guardian newspaper that he saw a woman being stabbed by three men at the south end of London Bridge. He said he threw chairs, glasses and bottles at the attackers in a bid to stop them.

“They kept coming to try to stab me . They were stabbing everyone. Evil, evil people,” he told the newspaper. “I want to know if this girl is still alive. I’ve been walking around for an hour and a half crying my eyes out. I don’t know what to do.”

Bartender Alex Martinez said he hid in a garbage bin for a half hour when a man stormed the restaurant where he worked, which was nearly full.

“I saw that man with a knife in his hand and after that a man started screaming so I knew something wrong was happening,” he said.

Medics treated the injured near the market as shocked people cried and shouted around them. Police officers yelled at people to run from the area.

Simon Thompson told Sky News that he was just outside Borough Market when he saw crowds fleeing.

“We ran for like 100 metres and then saw loads of police cars turned up and there was kind of a period of quite intense gunfire,” he said. “I hid in a restaurant basement for about an hour. ... Police told us to get out and then there was more gunfire.”

Police received the first call of reports of a vehicle hitting pedestrians on London Bridge at 10:08 p.m. (2108 GMT). Rowley said the attackers were dead in eight minutes.

Multiple witnesses reported a vehicle veering off the road and hitting as many as six pedestrians.

Soon after, reports started coming in of stabbings at Borough Market, a nearby area full of bars and restaurants surrounding a popular food market.

Photographer Gabriele Sciotto said he was on his way home from a pub when he saw a man running toward him telling him to turn around and run because there was a terrorist attack. As a documentary filmmaker, though, his instincts were to keep going.

The 25-year-old said that at first, “it didn’t look too dangerous.”

The men went into Borough Market, but then turned around and ran toward the Wheatsheaf Pub after being confronted by a police officer, he said, and suddenly a lot of police came from the other direction.

The attackers “had no clue what they were doing. They were scared. The police were scared,” he said.

After one of the men was shot, Sciotto, captured a photo of the suspect on the ground wearing what appeared to be canisters strapped to his chest.



 Armed police stand over what is believed to be a suspect shot at the scene of a terror attack outside Borough Market in central London on June 3, 2017. (GABRIELE SCIOTTO/AFP/Getty Images)

Police initially said officers were also responding to a third incident, in the Vauxhall neighbourhood, but later said that turned out to be an unrelated stabbing.

Police tweeted a warning telling people in the area to run to safety, hide and then call police if it is safe to do so. They asked Londoners to “remain calm but be alert and vigilant.”

Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed the attack “is being treated as a potential act of terrorism” and said her thoughts were with “those who are caught up in these dreadful events.” May’s office said she would chair a meeting of the government’s COBRA emergency committee on Sunday.

As thousands of people flooded from the area of the attacks — many unable to get home with nearby subway stations shut — locals were quick to offer assistance.

The Royal Oak pub, near the area of the attacks, opened its doors to people evacuated from hotels. At least one taxi company offered free rides to people stranded in the area. Phaldip Singh, who describes himself as an entrepreneur and youth activist, tweeted that Sikh temples were open to provide food and shelter for those affected.

It was the third attack to hit Britain in as many months.

In March, a British convert to Islam ran down people with a vehicle on Westminster Bridge, killing four, then stabbed a policeman to death outside Parliament.

On May 22, a British suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured dozens at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. After that attack, Britain’s official threat level from terrorism was raised to “critical,” meaning an attack may be imminent. Several days later it was lowered to “severe,” meaning an attack is highly likely.

A charity concert for victims of the Manchester attack, featuring Grande and other stars, is due to be held in the northwest English city on Sunday.

Grande, who visited victims of the Manchester attack in the hospital on Friday, found herself confronted with another terror attack.

Associated Press writer Niko Price contributed to this report.</s>An image showing a suspected terrorist, wearing what appear to be canisters around his waist, on the ground after being knocked down by police officers during in Borough Market, London. The three attackers wearing fake suicide vests were shot dead by police who is treating the attack as a 'terrorist incident'.

Three attackers drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing revellers nearby on Saturday night, killing seven people in what Britain called the work of Islamist militants engaged in a new trend of terrorism.

London Metropolitan Police said on Sunday 12 people had been arrested in the Barking district of east London in connection with the attack, which also injured at least 48 people, and raids were continuing there.

The attack occurred five days ahead of a parliamentary election and was the third to hit Britain in less than three months. Prime Minister Theresa May said the election would go ahead as planned on Thursday.

“It is time to say enough is enough,” she said in a televised statement outside her Downing Street office, where flags few at half-mast.

“We cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are,” May said, calling for a strengthened counter-terrorism strategy that could include longer jail sentences for some offences and new cyberspace regulations.

Less than two weeks ago, a suicide bomber killed 22 children and adults at a concert by US singer Ariana Grande in Manchester in northern England.

In March, in an attack similar to Saturday’s, five people died after a man drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in central London and stabbed a policeman.

On Saturday night, police shot dead the three male assailants in the Borough Market area near London Bridge within eight minutes of receiving the first emergency call shortly after 10 p.m. local time.

Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes as the attackers’ white van veered on and off the bridge sidewalk, hitting people along the way, and the three men then ran into an area packed with bars and restaurants, stabbing people indiscriminately.

Accounts emerged of people trying to barricade themselves in a pub while others tried throwing tables and other objects to fend off the attackers.

Police raided a building in the Barking district of east London on Sunday. Sky News reported it was the address of one of the attackers and a witness told the TV channel that residents had heard controlled explosions early in the morning.

“We believe we are experiencing a new trend in the threat we face as terrorism breeds terrorism,” May said.

“Perpetrators are inspired to attack not only on the basis of carefully constructed plots ... and not even as lone attackers radicalised online, but by copying one another and often using the crudest of means of attack.”

She said the series of attacks were not connected in terms of planning and execution, but were inspired by what she called a “single, evil ideology of Islamist extremism” that represented a perversion of Islam and of the truth.

She said this ideology had to be confronted both abroad and at home.

“While we have made significant progress in recent years, there is – to be frank – far too much tolerance of extremism in our country,” she said, without elaborating.

US President Donald Trump, taking to Twitter on Sunday, urged the world to stop being “politically correct” in order to ensure public security against terrorism.

Most of the main political parties suspended national campaigning on Sunday, but May said campaigning would resume on Monday.

The anti-European Union UK Independence Party said it would not suspend campaigning because disrupting democracy was what the extremists wanted.

London Bridge is a major transport hub and nearby Borough Market is a fashionable warren of alleyways packed with bars and restaurants that is always bustling on a Saturday night.

The area remained cordoned off and patrolled by armed police and counter-terrorism officers on Sunday, with train stations closed. Forensic investigators could be seen working on the bridge, where buses and taxis stood abandoned.



 There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Ariana Grande and other music stars were due to give a benefit concert at Manchester’s Old Trafford cricket ground on Sunday evening to raise funds for victims of the concert bombing and their families.

Police said the event would go ahead as planned, but security would be increased.

“Today’s One Love Manchester benefit concert will not only continue, but will do so with greater purpose,” Grande’s manager, Scooter Braun, said on Twitter after the London attack.

The three attackers on Saturday night were wearing what looked like explosive vests that were later found to have been fake. May said the assailants’ aim had been to sow panic.

The BBC showed a photograph of two possible attackers shot by police, one of whom had canisters strapped to his body.



 Islamist militants have carried out dozens of deadly attacks in Europe, the United States, Middle East and Asia over the past two years.

The London Ambulance Service said 48 people had been taken to five hospitals across the capital and a number of others had been treated at the scene for minor injuries.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said some of those who had been injured were in a critical condition. He said the official threat level in Britain remained at severe, meaning a militant attack is highly likely. It had been raised to critical after the Manchester attack, then lowered again days later.

“One of the things we can do is show that we aren’t going to be cowed is by voting on Thursday and making sure that we understand the importance of our democracy, our civil liberties and our human rights,” Khan said.



 Roy Smith, a police officer who was at the scene during the unfolding emergency, expressed his shock on Twitter. “Started shift taking photos with children playing on the South Bank. Ended it giving CPR to innocent victims attacked at London Bridge,” he wrote, adding a broken heart emoji.

Islamic State, losing territory in Syria and Iraq to an advance backed by a US-led coalition, had sent out a call on instant messaging service Telegram early on Saturday urging its followers to launch attacks with trucks, knives and guns against“Crusaders” during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.Trump, in other tweets, offered help to Britain and also levelled apparent criticism of Khan for saying there was no need to be alarmed. Khan had earlier said Londoners would see an increased police presence on the streets of the city and people should not be alarmed by that.German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin, were among those who sent messages of condolences and made statements of solidarity.Pope Francis invited thousands of pilgrims who attended mass in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Sunday to pray for the victims of the London attack.Four French nationals were among those injured in the London attack, French officials said. Australia said two of its citizens were caught up in it and one of them was in hospital.The Manchester bombing on May 22 was the deadliest attack in Britain since July 2005, when four British Muslim suicide bombers killed 52 people in coordinated assaults on London’s transport network.</s>Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Watch: How the attacks unfolded

Twelve people have been arrested after the London terror attack which left seven people dead and 48 injured.

The arrests in Barking, east London, followed a raid at a flat belonging to one of the three attackers.

A van hit pedestrians on London Bridge at 21:58 BST on Saturday. Three men then got out and stabbed people in nearby Borough Market.

The attackers were shot dead by eight officers who fired 50 bullets. A member of the public was accidentally shot.

Of the 12 people who were arrested, seven are women. A 55-year-old man was later released without charge.

Meanwhile, Canadian national Chrissy Archibald has been named by Canadian broadcaster CTV as the first victim of the attack.

A statement from her family said she "believed strongly that every person was to be valued and respected".

It said she had worked in a homeless shelter until she moved to Europe to be with her fiance.

'Range of injuries'

The so-called Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said the police had reacted knowing the attackers "had to be stopped immediately".

"The situation these officers were confronted with was critical, a matter of life and death - three armed men wearing what appeared to be suicide belts," he said.

The vests were later found to be hoaxes.

Mr Rowley said 36 people were in hospital with a "range of injuries" and 21 were in a critical condition.

Malik Ramadhan, a doctor at the Royal London Hospital, said his team had treated one man who had been shot in the head and was expected to make a full recovery.

Both London Bridge rail and Tube stations are due to reopen on Monday from 05:00 BST but the rail station will be exit only, Network Rail said.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Elisabeth O'Neill has spoken of her son Daniel's ordeal after he was stabbed in last night's attack

The mother of 23-year-old Daniel O'Neill, who is recovering in hospital after being stabbed, told the BBC he had a seven-inch scar from the knife attack.

"He had just stepped outside the bar for a second and a man ran up to him and said 'this is for my family, this is for Islam' and stuck a knife in him," Elisabeth O'Neill said.

"I'm still in shock. I can't quite believe it's happened."

Sunday Express journalist and martial arts expert, Geoff Ho, who was injured, said that he helped defend a bouncer from the attackers outside the Southwark Tavern as it "isn't happening on my watch", his newspaper reported.

Controlled explosions were carried out at the flat in Barking during the raids on Sunday morning.

According to neighbours, the dead attacker lived there for about three years and was married with two children.

One man, who did not want to be named, told the BBC's Asian Network that one of the attackers had become more extreme over the past two years.

"We spoke about a particular attack that happened and like most radicals he had a justification for anything - everything and anything.

"And that day I realised that I need to contact the authorities," he said.

He said no action was taken.

"I did my bit... but the authorities didn't do their bit," he said.

It is the third terror attack in the UK in three months, following the car and knife attack in Westminster in March, in which five people were killed, and the Manchester bombing less than two weeks ago, in which 22 people were killed.

Most political parties have suspended national general election campaigning, but the prime minister said full campaigning would resume on Monday.

The general election will go ahead as planned on Thursday.

Condemning the attack, Theresa May said it was "time to say enough is enough".

Eyewitnesses described a van travelling at high speed along London Bridge, hitting pedestrians, before crashing close to the Barrowboy and Banker pub.

The white Renault van used was recently hired by one of the attackers, Mr Rowley said.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption "He looked demented": The BBC's Holly Jones was in the path of the van driver

Four police officers who tried to stop the attack were among those injured, two of them seriously.

One of them was an off-duty officer and amateur rugby player who tackled one of the terrorists, suffering stab wounds.

Another, a British Transport Police officer who joined the force less than two years ago, took on the attackers armed with only his baton.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick praised their "extraordinary bravery".

The three suspects were shot dead within eight minutes of the first 999 call being received.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Eyewitness: "They were running and stabbing everyone"

Image copyright AFP Image caption Flowers are being laid near the scene in London Bridge

Among the other developments:

Prime Minister Theresa May made a private visit to King's College Hospital in south London to visit some of the injured

There will be a minute's silence on Tuesday at 11:00 BST in remembrance of those who lost their lives and all others affected by the attacks

Three Australians were caught up in the attack, said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop

A French national was killed and seven others wounded, including four with serious injuries according to foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. One French national is still missing

The Met Police has set up a casualty bureau on 0800 096 1233 and 020 7158 0197 for people concerned about friends or relatives

BBC reporter Holly Jones, who was on the bridge, said the van was "probably travelling at about 50 miles an hour" and hit "five or six people".

According to another witness, Eric, the men inside jumped out once the van crashed and "ran towards the people that they nearly ran over".

"[Then] they literally just started kicking them, punching them, they took out knives... it was a rampage really," he said.

One man, Gerard, told the BBC he saw a woman being stabbed "10 or 15 times" by men shouting "This is for Allah".

Steven Gibbs, who was drinking in a pub metres from the scene, told the BBC: "A black cab drove past and the driver shouted, 'Terrorist attack, run!'

"I stood up to take a look and then all of a sudden there were gunshots. Lots of people were screaming."

#SofaforLondon

Hundreds of people were stranded after being unable to return to their homes and hotels.

As with the Manchester attack, there were stories of Londoners coming to each other's aid, offering free taxi rides, free accommodation or just the opportunity to call friends and family - many using the hashtag on social media #sofaforLondon.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Watch: The man who took the attackers' photo

Speaking in Downing Street after a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee, the prime minister said the country "cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are".

Mrs May said there was "too much tolerance of extremism in our country" and while it would involve "some difficult and embarrassing conversations", that must change.

In a speech, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn backed the police to use "whatever force is necessary" to save lives.

Inspired by IS: By Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent

All through the night, supporters of so-called Islamic State celebrated the London attack, even before any claim was made by IS.

There was never much doubt either in their minds, or in those of British counter-terrorism officials, that this was a jihadist attack inspired by IS.

It follows a widely-circulated propaganda message put out by the group on social media urging its followers to attack civilians in the West using trucks, knives or guns.

The message makes reference to the current Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Last year, attacks intensified during this month with deaths resulting in Istanbul, Dhaka and Baghdad.

Some analysts see this as a last desperate bid by IS to its supporters, following multiple setbacks in the Middle East where its self-proclaimed caliphate is shrinking fast.

But the ideology of IS is likely to survive those defeats - and will continue to fuel terrorist attacks around the world.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the capital remained the "safest global city" and would not be cowed by terrorism.

Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said Muslims everywhere were "outraged and disgusted at these cowards who once again have destroyed the lives of our fellow Britons".

New normal: Dominic Casciani, BBC home affairs correspondent

Image copyright Reuters Image caption People were led away from the attack scene by police with their hands up

With three attacks in three months, terrorism against soft targets is beginning to feel, to some people, like the new normal.

The brutal reality is that this kind of threat is absolutely typical of what jihadists sought to achieve in all their attacks across Europe.

Since 2013 security services in the UK have foiled 18 plots. A large proportion of those have involved suspects who set out to commit acts of violence similar to the attack on Westminster Bridge and London Bridge.

Plans to use bombs, such as at Manchester Arena, are rarer because plotters need to have the technical skills for such an appalling attack - but attacking people with cars and knives is far easier and has long been encouraged by so-called Islamic State and other jihadists.

The aim of the three attackers last night is abundantly clear - not only did they want to kill, but they wanted to lose their own lives.

They would've known full well that attacking people in the street would draw armed police in their direction and the fake bomb belts they were wearing would, in their own warped minds, hasten their demise.

The police are asking anyone with photographs or videos of the incident to upload them here.

The area around the attack scene remains cordoned off, with London Bridge closed.

Police said the cordon would remain in place overnight and "well into Monday" and people would not be able to access their properties until it was lifted.

Image copyright H. Attai Image caption The white van, in the centre of this photo, is believed to have been used in the attack

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Ambulances attended to the injured on London Bridge</s>Seven people have died and at least 20 have been taken to hospital after London was rocked by a terrorist attack last night.

Officers responded to reports of a vehicle ploughing into pedestrians around London Bridge and stabbings at Borough Market shortly after 10pm.

Three attackers, wearing hoax explosive vests, were shot and killed by police.

Transport policeman stabbed as he rushed to help

Shortly after 9:30am on Sunday morning, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said the number of victims from the London attack has risen from six to seven.

An on-duty British Transport Police officer received "serious injuries" including head, face and leg wounds, as he responded to calls for help from the public, Scotland Yard said.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said: "We believe three people were involved but we still have some more inquiries to be 100% confident on that."

Police said they had received reports of a vehicle striking pedestrians on London Bridge at around 10pm, which then continued on to Borough Market.

The suspects then left the vehicle and a number of people in the area were stabbed, Scotland Yard said.

Witnesses described seeing a speeding vehicle veer into crowds on London Bridge.

A man called Gerard said he witnessed a series of stabbings by three men near Borough Market.

"They were stabbing everyone. They were running up and going 'This is for Allah'," he told BBC News.

He said he followed the attackers and threw items at them in a bid to stop them.

Alex Shellum, who was in The Mudlark pub, close to London Bridge, said he saw a bleeding woman in her early 20s stagger in.

Barman Alex Martinez was forced to take shelter in a bin when a knifeman stormed El Pastor, the Borough restaurant in which he worked.

He said: "I saw that man with a knife in his hand and after that a man started screaming so I knew something wrong was happening.

"The man started screaming and dropping everything on the floor, the plates, the cutlery, the bottle, everything, he dropped it."

He said he jumped down behind a wall to keep safe.

Mr Rowley added: "At this stage, we believe that six people have died in addition to the three attackers shot dead by police. And at least 20 casualties have been taken to six hospitals across London.

"We are reviewing and planning to strengthen our policing stance across London over the forthcoming days and there will be additional police and officers deployed across the capital.

"We are treating this as a terrorist incident and a full investigation is already under way, led by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command."

Holly Jones, a BBC reporter, was at London Bridge when she saw a van swerve into pedestrians.

"A white van driver came speeding - probably about 50mph - veered off the road into the crowds of people who were walking along the pavement," she told BBC News.

"He swerved right round me and then hit about five or six people. He hit about two people in front of me and then three behind."

A taxi driver called Chris told LBC he saw men armed with foot-long knives after the van drove on to the pavement.

He told the station: "Then three men got out with long blades, 12 inches long and went randomly along Borough High Street stabbing people at random. I saw a young girl stabbed in the chest."
The death toll from the attacks is seven with at least 48 injured. Officials say that the three attackers were killed by the police.