Holborn evacuated: Passengers speak of terror as armed police storm Tube train after ‘threats’ made

'Chaos': Armed police outside Holborn station this afternoon
Rosie Oliver/@rosieblog
Ramzy Alwakeel25 September 2015
WEST END FINAL

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Passengers today told of their terror after armed police stormed their Tube as it waited at Holborn.

Transport cops were called by a passenger after reports someone on the Central line train had been using “suspicious language”.

A British Transport Police spokesman declined to elaborate on what was said but it is not thought to have been terrorism-related.

Officers were armed with machine guns as they walked calmly through the locked-down carriages looking for someone matching the man’s description. They could not find him and the Central line was reopened minutes later.

Passenger Dr Catherine Ball, an environmental scientist visiting from Australia, was on the platform when the police shut down the station.

“The Tube was already there and all the doors were closed,” she told the Standard. “I walked up the platform and thought: ‘This isn't right.’

“It stood there for 10 to 15 seconds and the lights were dimmed on the carriages. I looked at the exit and half a dozen armed police came into the station. We all stood back and the next thing we knew were were being evacuated.

'More armed police than I have ever seen': Holborn station this afternoon @Nadina_Music
@Nadina_Music

“We were going up the stairs and the automatic tannoy kicked in saying it was due to a passenger emergency.

“Coming up the stairs, people asked what was going on but one officer said: ‘Don’t ask any questions, just evacuate.’

“We got into the sunshine and all these cars arrived.

“They came on like they were looking for someone. They were very calm and so slick.

“It's the most armed police I've ever seen in one place - I was equally impressed and scared.”

Mayan Patel, who was on the train itself, told the Standard: “The train stopped and the doors didn't open. They announced something was wrong with the train and we would be on the move shortly. Then I heard the notice to evacuate the station immediately as armed police arrived and people left the platform.

“But our train doors remained shut. Armed police walked through our carriage and continued through the train.

“I was scared, hearing ‘evacuate the station’ and being locked in – not the right place to be.”

Others took to Twitter to share their shock at the afternoon's events.

Megan Anderson (@megan_andersonn) tweeted: “Holborn station [is] being emergency evacuated by police with armed guns and five army Chinooks flying over Kings Cross.”

Sam Elwin ‏(@Sam_Elwin) wrote: “Just got locked in the train at Holborn while armed police searched it and evacuated the station! Anyone know why?”

Rosie Oliver (@rosieblog) added there were “tonnes of people” and police dogs outside the station, adding police cars were parked “all over the street outside”.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman said: “Our officers attended Holborn London Underground station following reports of man acting suspiciously shortly before 2.35pm.

“Trains were stopped and the station was temporarily closed to allow BTP officers to carry out a search, but no one matching the description was located.”

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