LONDON — Politicians warned that parliament's security was so weak that it put the police at risk — a month before the London attack which saw one officer stabbed to death by a terrorist named as Khalid Masood.
ADVERTISEMENT
MPs warned weak parliament security put police at risk — 1 month before the London attack
'We wanted something that can be operated more easily by the police that will also stop pedestrians.'
A police officer places flowers and a photo of Pc Keith Palmer on Whitehall near the Houses of Parliament in London, after seven people were arrested in raids in London, Birmingham and elsewhere linked to the Westminster terror attack.
According to the Telegraph newspaper, MPs and police raised concerns that the crowd-control barriers in front of the iron gates that lead to the entrance of parliament were "flimsy" and a "weak point."
"There were concerns about security issues in all sorts of ways. As far as I'm concerned the present gates are flimsy and made of Meccano," Tory MP Sir Paul Beresford. Meccano is a form of model construction for toys.
"We wanted something that can be operated more easily by the police that will also stop pedestrians. At present two police officers have to open them out, they aren't armed. Therefore they are at risk. You can just push past them."
ADVERTISEMENT
Around 2:40 p.m. GMT on Wednesday, a lone assailant mowed down dozens of pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in a 4X4 car, before killing a police officer with a knife in the grounds of Parliament.
The suspect was identified as Khalid Masood — a 52-year-old father of three children.
Several MPs reiterated their concerns to the Telegraph after the attacks:
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
ADVERTISEMENT