E-Paper
UK police respond to ‘incident’ amid reports of stabbings
The Royal Berkshire Hospital told the BBC it was treating two casualties from the incident. There was no immediate word on any fatalities.
Police in the English town of Reading were dealing with a “serious incident” Saturday, authorities said, following reports that multiple people were stabbed in a park.
Witnesses reported that police cars and helicopters responded to an incident in Forbury Gardens, a park in the town of about 200,000 residents, 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of London. Police blocked off several roads, and photos showed two air ambulances nearby.
The Royal Berkshire Hospital told the BBC it was treating two casualties from the incident. There was no immediate word on any fatalities.
The local Thames Valley Police force tweeted, “We are aware of reports of an incident in Forbury Gardens, Reading. Officers are on the scene and investigating the incident.”
Jason Brock, the leader of Reading Council, tweeted: “Concerning reports from Reading town centre - please stay clear of the area as Police are dealing with a serious incident.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel, Britain’s interior minister, posted on Twitter: “Deeply concerned to hear reports of an incident in Reading. My thoughts are with everyone involved, including police and emergency responders at the scene.”
The incident came hours after a Black Lives Matter protest took place at Forbury Gardens.
Nieema Hassan, one of the organizers of Saturday’s protest, said demonstrators had left by the time the violence occurred. In a social media post, she said she was “praying for the people that are affected. I hope they’re OK.”
