A man has died and eight people have been injured after a van struck a crowd of pedestrians near a north London mosque.<\/p>\n
A 48-year-old man was arrested following the collision just after midnight near Finsbury Park Mosque in Seven Sisters Road.<\/p>\n
Counter terrorism officers are at the scene, the Metropolitan Police said.<\/p>\n
The Muslim Council of Britain <\/a>(MCB) said a van “intentionally” ran over worshippers.<\/p>\n The body said it was a “violent manifestation of Islamophbia” and called for extra security around mosques.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Theresa May described it as a “terrible incident”, adding: “All my thoughts are with those who have been injured, their loved ones and the emergency services on the scene.”<\/p>\n Many of the victims are believed to have just left evening prayers after breaking the Ramadan fast.<\/p>\n London Ambulance Service said it had sent “a number of resources” to the scene.<\/p>\n Video posted online of the aftermath showed a scene of chaos as people tried to help the injured.<\/p>\n One man could be seen giving CPR to a victim in the street while another man’s head injury was treated with a makeshift dressing.<\/p>\n An eyewitness told how he jumped out the way of the van as it struck.<\/p>\n He said: “He just came into all of us. There was a lot of people. We got told to move straight away.<\/p>\n “I was shocked, shocked, shocked. There were bodies around me.<\/p>\n “Thank God I just moved to the side. I just jumped. Everyone is hurt. Everyone is actually hurt.”<\/p>\n Another who lives in a flat on Seven Sisters Road told the BBC she saw people “shouting and screaming”.<\/p>\n “Everyone was shouting ‘a van’s hit people’.<\/p>\n “There was this white van stopped outside Finsbury Park Mosque that seems to have hit people who were coming out of the mosque after prayers finished.”<\/p>\n She said the road was “backed up” with police cars, ambulance and fire engines.<\/p>\n Labour leader and Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn said on Twitter<\/a>: “I’m totally shocked at the incident at Finsbury Park tonight.<\/p>\n “I’ve been in touch with the mosques, police and Islington council regarding the incident. My thoughts are with those and the community affected by this awful event.”<\/p>\n London Ambulance Service deputy director of operations Kevin Bate said: “We have sent a number of ambulance crews, advance paramedics and specialist responses teams to the scene.<\/p>\n “An advance trauma team from London’s Air Ambulance has also been dispatched by car.<\/p>\n “We are working closely with other members of the emergency services at the scene.<\/p>\n “Our priority is to assess the level and nature of injuries and ensure those in the most need are treated first and taken to hospital.”<\/p>\n Witness Cynthia Vanzella said on Twitter: “Horrible to watch police officers doing cardiac massage at people on the floor, desperately trying to save them. I just hope they did.”<\/p>\n The MCB said its “prayers are with the victims.”<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"