Armed police evacuate hundreds from Kings Cross station over ‘suspicious package’

The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related, police said

People at Kings Cross train station in London in December 2020 [stock photo] (EPA)

Hundreds of people were evacuated from Kings Cross station in London after armed police responded to reports of a man with a suspicious package.

Witnesses reported seeing armed police “storm” the station at around 8pm with police dogs.

Met Police said it was called to reports of a man with a suspicious package who had boarded a train, which was then evacuated as a precaution.

“The man then came off the train and was arrested on suspicion of public order offence,” a spokesperson said.

“A search of the train was carried out as a precaution. A number of platforms were evacuated.”

The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related and the station has now reopened.

Ricci Guarnaccio, who was at the scene, wrote on Twitter that there were police “everywhere” and posted a video of hundreds of people waiting outside for the all-clear while sirens rang out in the background.

He added in a separate post that a bag was “removed from [a] train two mins ago.”

The station was re-opened less than an hour after the police were called at 7.53pm.

The nearby St Pancras station was not affected by the incident.