Eleven people were injured on Saturday when the car was set on a sidewalk and eagle in pedestrians near the London Natural History Museum, which led to drivers being arrested, although officials had ruled out a terrorist connection. The police said it was a traffic incident after three attacks in the British capital this year, where the vehicles were deliberately switched to street people. The large population in this area, popular with families and tourists, escaped panic when the car set off on the pedestrian exhibition road in South Kensington. Witness accounts and footage released on social media showed a man who landed on the floor by passers-by near a black car with a broken cover. "The incident is an investigation into road traffic, not an incident involving terrorists," Metropolitan Police said in London.
“Whilst enquiries continue it is believed a car mounted the pavement and collided with a number of pedestrians.”
It said the arrested man was among nine people taken to hospital, while two others were treated at the scene.
No one is believed to have life-threatening or life-changing injuries, and the majority were discharged by late Saturday.
The suspect, in his forties, was then taken to London police station where he was questioned on suspicion of dangerous driving, police said.
Armed police were deployed to the scene and much of the surrounding area, which includes the Science Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum, was cordoned off.
Security is high in Britain after five terror attacks since March — four of them in London and one in Manchester — with the bloodshed claiming 35 lives.
Prime Minister Theresa May offered her thanks to the emergency services, adding: “My thoughts are with the injured.”
‘Everyone flew in panic’
London’s Metropolitan Police said they were called to the scene at 2:21 pm (1321 GMT) after reports of a collision.
One witness, identified only as Katy, told LBC London radio she had seen two people injured, including a young boy whose leg was hurt.
“We treated 11 patients, mostly for leg and head injuries, and took nine of them to hospital,” said Peter McKenna, deputy director of operations for the London Ambulance Service.
Another eyewitness who gave his name only as Leonard, told AFP: “I was near South Ken station and there were many police.
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