A motorist in London was reportedly upset over being fined for breaking coronavirus-led lockdown rules to deal with the spread of the virus. He crashed his vehicle into a police station and set it on fire Wednesday.
The London Metropolitan Police station in Edmonton was evacuated after the crash, which took place just before 7 p.m. local time. A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson and other charges.
He was not identified and there were no injuries.
The man reportedly rammed the car into the north London police station and doused it with a flammable liquid before setting it ablaze. The Sun noted that he snapped after he was fined up to $13,117 for flouting the UK’s lockdown rules.
It remains unclear which lockdown regulations were violated.
Video footage show officers taking the man into custody next to the fire.
Other clips show a person was pouring the liquid on the car and street before onlookers.
Scotland Yard took the help of counterterrorism officers to the station. The agency later added that the incident was not being treated as terror-related.
“This was not believed to be terror-related and those living and working in the area can be reassured that this appears to have been an isolated incident that poses no ongoing risk to community safety,” said Treena Fleming, the Detective Chief Superintendent.
Britain imposed new lockdown measures last week after a resurgence in COVID-19 infections. The rules include the closure of pubs, restaurants — except for take-out orders — entertainment venues, and other non-essential shops. Residents are prompted to stay indoors except to travel to work and school. Large gatherings are also banned.
About 1,290,195 people in the UK have been confirmed as being infected with the coronavirus. The virus has killed 50,928 people in the country.
