London police investigate security incident near Israeli Embassy, park closed

Police sealed off Kensington Gardens and closed it to the public on Friday after officers began assessing a number of discarded items near the Israeli Embassy in central London. Some officers were wearing protective clothing as a precaution, and the Metropolitan Police said the gardens and surrounding area were under cordon while the response continued.

The force said it did not believe there was any increased public safety risk at that stage, and stressed that the Israeli Embassy itself had not been attacked. Officers were carrying out urgent inquiries into the authenticity of a video circulating online and whether there was any link between that claim and the items found in the park.

The park closure disrupted one of central London’s most heavily trafficked green spaces, bounded by Kensington Palace and Hyde Park and sitting close to several diplomatic sites. The Royal Parks said Kensington Gardens was shut for the day while police carried out their work, turning the area into a restricted zone and keeping the public away from the cordoned-off sections.

The security response followed reports that a group in the video claimed to have targeted the Israeli Embassy with drones carrying dangerous substances. Other reports described the alleged materials as radioactive and carcinogenic chemicals. Police have not confirmed any such claim and have not said the items in the park were linked to the online video.

The episode came against the backdrop of a site that has already drawn security attention. In May 2025, UK counter-terror police investigated an alleged plot targeting the Israeli Embassy in London, underscoring how quickly threats or claims involving diplomatic sites in the area can trigger a visible police response. For now, the Met’s focus remained on the items in Kensington Gardens, the video’s credibility, and whether the online narrative matched anything officers found on the ground.