London Parliament Evacuated Over Harmless Package

A security alert near the Houses of Parliament in London disrupted central Westminster on Thursday morning after police discovered an unattended package that initially raised suspicions of a potential threat. The item, found around 7:30 a.m. in Victoria Gardens beside a statue of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, turned out to be a box of Christmas cards intended for Labour Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh, prompting a swift but temporary lockdown of the area.

Metropolitan Police officers responded immediately to reports of the suspicious cardboard box, establishing a wide cordon that stretched from Jewel Tower to Millbank House. This included Parliament Square, Millbank, and College Green, where members of the public, including pedestrians and tourists, were evacuated to ensure safety. A specialized bomb disposal team deployed a remote-controlled robot to examine the package, clearing the surrounding area of people during the operation.

The alert caused significant interruptions in the bustling political district, halting traffic and pedestrian movement for nearly an hour. Witnesses described a tense atmosphere as police directed evacuations. One onlooker recounted to reporters, "It...