Counter-terrorism officers in protective gear investigate discarded items near Israeli embassy

Police in protective clothing have cordoned off Kensington Gardens and are examining a number of suspicious items found near the Israeli embassy in London, after a video emerged overnight in which a group claimed to have targeted the building with drones carrying dangerous substances.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Friday afternoon that the embassy itself had not been attacked, but said urgent enquiries were under way to establish whether the discarded items were connected to the claims made in the video.
What officers found in the park
Kensington Gardens was closed to the public from the morning as counter-terrorism officers moved in to assess the scene. A van belonging to the Met’s chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear unit was positioned near the bandstand, alongside a fire investigation unit from the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service’s hazardous area response team.
Aerial footage showed officers in protective clothing examining items in the park, with some objects appearing to have been laid out on a sheet near logs. Matt Jukes, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing at the Met, said there were no signs the embassy had been attacked but that officers were working to determine the authenticity of the video and identify any link to the items found at the scene.
“As a precaution, some of the officers who have been deployed are wearing protective clothing,” the Met said in a statement. “We do not believe there to be any increased public safety risk at this stage, but we would urge people to avoid the area while officers carry out their work.”
The Israeli embassy confirmed that all staff were safe and said it remained in “close and continuous contact” with local authorities.
Why the incident has heightened existing fears
The investigation comes amid a series of recent incidents targeting Jewish sites and institutions in the capital. Last month, several ambulances operated by the Jewish volunteer emergency service Hatzola were set alight near a synagogue in Golders Green. Earlier this week, two suspects were arrested in connection with an attempted arson attack on another north London synagogue, though police said the two incidents were not believed to be linked. Separately, a man from Kuwait went on trial this week accused of planning a terrorist attack on the embassy itself.
Speaking on Thursday, Jukes acknowledged the anxiety the pattern of events was causing. “London’s Jewish communities and the Iranian diaspora in London have, in recent years, been increasingly targeted by individuals, groups and hostile states intent on spreading fear, hate and harm,” he said.
The park remained closed on Friday afternoon as the investigation continued.