London terror attack live updates: Seven killed in London Bridge and Borough Market before armed police shoot three suspects dead
Prime Minister warns Britain is in the grip of a spate of copycat terror attacks
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At least seven people were killed and dozens more injured after a van drove into pedestrians on London Bridge and several men then started stabbing passersby in what police said was a terrorist attack.
The incident began on London Bridge when a white transit-style van drove into a crowd of people "at about 50mph", according to witnesses.
Police said the van then drove to the nearby Borough Market where three men began attacking people. Three suspects were shot dead by armed police.
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Three men have been shot dead after killing seven and injuring 48 more with a van and knife attack in London.
The killings on Saturday night were the second terrorist atrocity to hit the country in as many weeks after 22 were killed at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.
Attackers brought carnage to the streets of the capital, stabbing a police officer and revellers with 12-inch knives, reportedly shouting "this is for Allah".
The trio were pictured wearing what appeared to be explosive vests, with Scotland Yard later confirming they were hoaxes.
Armed police rushed to the scene and shot dead the three male attackers in the Borough Market area near the bridge, as authorities urged Londoners on Twitter to "run, hide, tell" if they were caught up in the violence.
The attacks came just five days ahead of a national parliamentary election on Thursday. The ruling Conservative Party suspended national campaigning on Sunday, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said.
"Following updates from police and security officials, I can confirm that the terrible incident in London is being treated as a potential act of terrorism," Ms May said in a statement as events unfolded.
The killings also occurred less than two weeks after a suicide bomber killed 22 people at a pop concert by U.S. singer Ariana Grande in Manchester in northern England.
The BBC showed a photograph of two possible attackers shot by police, one of whom had canisters strapped to his body. Hours after the attack the area remained sealed off and patrolled by armed police and counter-terrorism officers.
The London Ambulance Service said 48 people had been taken to five hospitals across the city and a number of others had been treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Streets around London Bridge and Borough Market, an area that is a major transport hub and is packed with bars and restaurants, was busy with people on a night out.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan spoke of a "cowardly attack on innocent Londoners and visitors to our city enjoying their Saturday night".
"We cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are," she said. "Things need to change, and they need to change in four important ways."
Ms May said Islamist ideology cannot be given the space to breath, and new cyberspace regulations are needed.
We need to defend British pluralistic values that are superior to anything offered by preachers of hate, she added.
We need to do anything we can to reduce extremism online, as this ideology cannot be defeated through military intervention alone.
She said all of these attacks are bound together by an evil ideology that is a perversion of Islam and a perversion of the truth.
The PM called for increased sentences for terrorism offences, even apparently minor ones.
She also said we need to be more robust in identifying and stamping out extremism across society.
The Prime Minister said there was "far too much tolerance of extremism in our country" and called for it to be tackled head on.
Ms May urged everyone go about their lives as normal and said the General Election would go ahead on Thursday.
Here is the text of Prime Minister Theresa May's statement:
Last night, our country fell victim to a brutal terrorist attack once again.
As a result I have just chaired a meeting of the Government's emergency committee, and I want to update you with the latest information about the attack.
Shortly before 10 past 10 yesterday evening, the Metropolitan Police received reports that a white van had struck pedestrians on London Bridge.
It continued to drive from London Bridge to Borough Market, where three terrorists left the van and attacked innocent and unarmed civilians with blades and knives.
All three were wearing what appeared to be explosive vests, but the police have established that this clothing was fake and worn only to spread panic and fear.
As so often in such serious situations, the police responded with great courage and great speed. Armed offices from the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police arrived at Borough Market within moments and shot and killed the three suspects.
The terrorists were confronted and shot by armed officers within eight minutes of the police receiving the first emergency call.
Seven people have died as a result of the attack, in addition to the three suspects shot dead by the police. Forty-eight people are being treated in several hospitals across London.
A police operation is underway at a block of flats in Barking.
Sky News are broadcasting live footage of the operation.
It is unclear if the operation is in connection with the London Bridge attack, but the Sky News correspondent has said it is.
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