ZCZC
BFF-29
BRITAIN-POLICE-POLITICS-PROTEST
Man held outside UK parliament in ‘petrol’ incident: police
LONDON, United Kingdom, Oct 1, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – London police said Tuesday
they detained a man who was dousing himself with what appeared to be a
flammable liquid outside parliament.
“The man, who had a lighter, was sprayed with a fire extinguisher,” the
Metropolitan Police said in a statement. “There was no ignition and the man
was detained.”
The man was assessed by ambulance workers and taken to hospital. His age or
condition were not immediately released.
One lawmaker who was at the scene tweeted the substance “smells like
petrol”.
The incident came against a background of heightened tension over Britain’s
imminent departure from the European Union, which has divided the country.
MPs are currently debating ways to make sure Britain does not crash out of
the EU without a negotiated agreement on its October 31 departure date.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1732 hrs