Kensington Gardens reopened following police search

Police have confirmed the reopening of Kensington Gardens, following the discovery of several suspicious items. Among these items were two jars containing a powdered substance.

Officers had also been made aware of an online video featuring a group who claimed to have targeted the nearby Embassy of Israel with drones carrying dangerous substances.

Due to these factors, specialist officers were deployed to the scene to assess the items and identify any risk to the public. As a precaution, some officers were deployed wearing protective clothing.

Police have since assessed the items and have not identified any harmful or hazardous substances. As a result, there is no risk to the wider public and the search has concluded.

Commander Helen Flanagan, of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “We recognise this incident and consequent police activity may have caused concern among local residents and the wider public. We are grateful to them for their understanding while our work was undertaken.

“Although the items found have been assessed as being non-hazardous, we continue to investigate whether they may have any link to the online video. This work is being carried out by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London and our enquiries remain ongoing.

“While the Embassy of Israel was not attacked, we continue to work closely with the Embassy and its security team to keep the site safe and secure.”

We ask the public to remain vigilant and report anything that doesn't look or feel right to police. You can call police on 0800 789 321 or report it online via www.gov.uk/ACT. In an emergency, always dial 999.