Parliament intruder: Man shot with Taser by armed police in Westminster detained under Mental Health Act

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A man who was Tasered outside the Houses of Parliament was unarmed and has been sectioned, police say.

The incident on Tuesday morning sparked terror fears when the man entered the same gates stormed by the Westminster attacker Khalid Masood in March 2017.

London’s Metropolitan Police said he “ran towards officers” posted at Carriage Gates.

“He did not comply with officers’ requests to stop and a Taser was used by police,” a spokesperson added. “The man, aged 29, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of trespassing at a protected site, and taken to a police station for questioning. The arrested man, who was unarmed, underwent a mental health assessment. He has now been taken to hospital after being detained under the Mental Health Act.”

The Independent’s political correspondents were among those who witnessed the man being detained by around a dozen officers.

He was seen being held in a police box – where he was heard shouting “coming for you politicians” – before being placed inside a police van and driven away.

One witness said: “I heard police shouting – at first I thought they were just shouting at tourists to stay back – but there was a guy stood just inside the gates facing outwards [away from parliament]. He was just stood there with his arms out being approached by lots of police and wasn’t responding to the screams.

“I heard a crack, which I guess was the Taser because I saw the Taser wires after, and he went down and very quickly they were all on him.”

The investigation is being led by Scotland Yard’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit – rather than counterterror police, and enquiries into the circumstances continue.

Security has been increased at Carriage Gates following the Westminster attack in March 2017, when Khalid Masood stabbed PC Keith Palmer to death at his post after running over four victims on Westminster Bridge.

An inquest found PC Palmer may have been saved if firearms officers had been posted on the gates and there is now a permanent armed police presence at the entrance.

A crash near a different entrance to the Houses of Parliament in August is also being investigated as a potential terror attack and the suspect awaits trial.