Parliament Hill on lockdown after man ‘barricaded’ himself inside East Block, police say

A lockdown continues on Parliament Hill after a person “barricaded” himself contained in the East Block, Ottawa police say.

“There’s a massive police presence within the space. East Block has been evacuated,” Ottawa police mentioned in a social media post shortly earlier than 5 p.m. ET on Saturday. The submit mentioned the Parliamentary Protecting Service (PPS) can also be on scene.

“There are not any identified accidents and police proceed to cope with a person on this ongoing incident that started simply earlier than 3 p.m. [ET],” the police pressure mentioned.

Police hadn’t supplied an replace as of Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET. Wellington Road, which runs in entrance of Parliament Hill, was cordoned off between Financial institution Road and Sussex Drive, Ottawa police mentioned.

Officers introduced in a robotic to cope with the scenario, and a big police truck has been ushered via the safety roadblock.

Earlier on Saturday afternoon, the PPS declared a lockdown for 111 Wellington St., the place the East Block is positioned. The discover was despatched to staffers who work on Parliament Hill, they usually have been informed to hunt shelter within the nearest room, shut and lock all doorways and conceal.

“In case you are not within the instant space, keep away till additional discover. Don’t journey to places below lockdown,” the PPS mentioned within the discover. “Anticipate additional directions from first responders.”

A authorities net web page says the East Block homes the workplaces of senators and their workers, however there may be little exercise on the Hill as a result of Parliament is dissolved for the continued federal election.

The identical net web page says the constructing as soon as held the workplaces of Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir George-Étienne Cartier,” and that it nonetheless incorporates “trustworthy recreations of the workplaces of its well-known occupants from the nineteenth century.”