BBC Locked Down As Police Investigate Suspect Vehicle

By Stewart Clarke

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – UPDATED: BBC staff have been given the all clear and the building has now reopened after staff were earlier prevented from entering or leaving because of a suspect vehicle. News pictures show van in question contained boxes and a motorcycle.

London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed they are dealing with a suspect vehicle at the BBC’s Broadcasting House headquarters in central London. Images and reports on social media appeared to show the authorities carrying out at least two controlled explosions on an orange van situated outside the building, Monday.

A Met spokesman told Variety that the force responded to a call at 3.15PM concerning a suspect vehicle and officers were on the scene and carrying out their work.

BBC staff inside the building told Variety that they had been instructed not to leave. The BBC would not comment officially and referred all requests for information to the police.

BBC journalist Sam Francis tweeted from his personal Twitter account: “Suspect package found near BBC office building. On the announcement that police advise everyone to move away from windows a sea of journalists flock to see what’s going on.”

Another BBC journalist, Thomas Mackintosh, tweeted that an “advisory email says move away from the windows…” He also posted videos of a police robot approaching the orange van.

Camilla Schick, a journalist at BBC World, tweeted that “ground floor staff still not allowed back into BBC Broadcasting House, while others aren’t allowed out.”

It is not the first time there has been an alert at the BBC HQ. In June the police carried out a controlled explosion after reports of a suspicious vehicle.