Police blow up suspicious package outside US Embassy in London

Law enforcement conducted a “controlled explosion” of a suspicious package outside of the U.S. Embassy in London on Friday.

“We can confirm that the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” London's Metropolitan Police wrote in a post on social platform X.

“Enquiries are still ongoing and cordons will remain in place for the time being.”

The agency said it would carry out an investigation on the package, but believe it was a “hoax device.”

“The US Embassy is back to normal business operations, with the exception that all public appointments (visa appointments, passport appointments, and other American Citizen services) for 22 November have been cancelled,” the embassy announced.

“Applicants will be contacted via email to reschedule. Local authorities investigated and cleared a suspicious package outside the Embassy," it added, thanking the city's police for "swift action."

On Friday, authorities also shut down the south terminal of London’s Gatwick Airport while they investigated a suspicious item found in luggage, according to The Associated Press. Sussex Police said it had sent an ordnance disposal team to the airport as a precaution.