Car crashes into 10 Downing Street gate, 1 arrested

One person was arrested on Thursday after a car crashed into the gates of 10 Downing Street in London, the office residence of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Metropolitan Police said.

"At around 16:20hrs [local time] a car collided with the gates of Downing Street on Whitehall,” the Met Police said in a statement.

"Armed officers arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving. There are no reports of any injuries. Enquiries are ongoing,” the police said.

Officers could soon be seen winding down their operation even as most of Whitehall, the main political hub of London between Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square, was cordoned off.

Officials inside Downing Street have reportedly been asked to stay indoors and it remains uncertain whether Sunak was in his office at the time of the incident.

Meanwhile, images on social media showed a white passenger car with its boot open slammed into the gates of Downing Street, which is significantly protected with barriers and a solid double-barrel black iron gate at all times.