‘Altercation’ caused London Tube panic
Witnesses believe a fight on a platform at Oxford Circus tube station spread panic
LONDON: Armed police evacuated the UK’S biggest shopping district as mass panic swept through crowds hunting for discounts on Black Friday, sparking fears of a new attack.
Witnesses BELIEVE A ight on A platform at Oxford Circus tube station spread panic, leading to stampedes and rumours of gunshots, forcing police to trigger their protocol for terror attacks.
British Transport Police have appealed for information after what they described as an “altercation between two men on the platform” at Oxford Circus station. They released CCTV images of two men they would like to talk to in relation to the incident.
Screaming crowds were ordered to take shelter in shops as the station was evacuated at the start of Friday’s rush hour, but investigations have not yet found Any EVIDENCE of Gunfire or Casualties.
The British Transport Police (BTP) SAID Its oficers RECEIVED reports of shots ired on THE westbound Central LINE platform at Oxford Circus at 4.37pm, as passengers LED up Exits towards Oxford Circus and Regent Street.
“THIS CAUSED A signiicant level of panic which resulted in numerous calls from members of the public reporting Gunfire,” A spokesperson SAID.
“OFICERS responded In line with our procedures of a terrorist incident, this INCLUDED ARMED oficers From BTP AND the Metropolitan Police.
“A full and methodical search of the station and Oxford Street was conducted By our specially TRAINED irearms oficers But they DID not ind Any EVIDENCE of Gunfire At THE station.”
As the cause of the alert remained unconfirmed, several High-profile igures were condemned for spreading incorrect information on social media.
Former EDL leader Tommy Robinson deleted a tweet on “what looks like another jihad attack,” while singer Olly Murs reported baseless rumours of gunshots inside Selfridges while it was being evacuated as a precaution, and Sky News presenter Kay Burley repeated false claims of a “man with a gun.”
Passengers on the platform at the time claimed the panic was started by A ight BETWEEN two men, DESCRIBING how the evacuation order was prompted by a member of the public pushing an emergency button.
Regan Warner said she saw a man bumping into another man on the “overcrowded platform” at 4.35pm.
“They exchanged words, then a punch to THE Gut, then A Full-out ight,” SHE ADDED.