Armed police raid East Ham flat
Police activity outside a property on Barking Road in East Ham (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire) - Credit: PA
Part of Barking Road has been cordoned off as armed police raided a flat in East Ham this afternoon.
A crowd gathers behind a police cordon on Barking Road in East Ham (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire) - Credit: PA
Dozens of officers carrying guns and with their faces covered were seen raiding a property above a shop in East Ham at around 2pm.
Witnesses say two men were dragged out and taken away in police vans.
Local resident Malik Rouf, 30, said one of the men inside the flat jumped out of a first floor window on to a ledge before he was pulled back inside.
“He was about 30 years old and in a vest - he tried to go out the window but the officer was standing with a gun saying ‘get back in, get back in’,” he said.
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“He was dragged out and put in a police van.”
He said both men had shaved heads, full beards and one was wearing Islamic robes.
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A line of police tape was put in place around the flat and crowds of locals looked on as officers guarded the perimeter.
Witness Shimma Ali, 32, said it was terrifying to see dozens of armed officers in the street.
“I heard a woman screaming and 20 officers with guns - there was a sniper across the road trained on the window,” she said.
“Then a young black man, barefoot and in pyjamas, came out the window.
“They were shouting ‘we will shoot you if you don’t go back in’.
“I thought he was going to get shot - the police officer had his gun on him and was ready to shoot.”
She added: “It’s absolutely terrifying - we don’t expect it in this area, it’s so multicultural and diverse, there’s no racism.”
A next door neighbour, who did not want to be named, said the men “seemed normal”.
“I’m surprised if they’re terrorists,” he added.
“One of them used to wear the traditional robes but I didn’t see them that often. If there’s explosives there then that’s scary in the flat next door.”
He said seven people lived in the flat, a mixture of men and women. He added that he heard “huge screams and running around” when police raided the property.
