CBRN teams deployed in London after possible hazardous materials discovered in park
Police officers dressed in protective clothing and a CBRN team have been deployed to Kensington Park, London, after a number of potentially hazardous items were discovered there in the morning of Friday 17 April.
Metropolitan Police are assessing whether the discarded items are linked to a video apparently posted overnight by the Iran-linked Islamist group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia. In the video, they show a target over an image of the Israeli embassy, which is located next to Kensington Gardens, and people dressed in hazmat suits preparing and flying drones.
The video claims that the Israeli embassy in London had been "targeted by two drones carrying radioactive and dangerous carcinogenic materials", and advised people to stay away from the location due to the "presence of radioactive materials".
However, the Metropolitan Police confirmed in a statement that the Israeli embassy had not been attacked and officers were investigating the source and authenticity of the footage. A police cordon was put in place and park remained closed throughout Friday.
The embassy also confirmed the site was not attacked and staff were safe, while the Metropolitan Police said it does "not believe there to be any increased public safety risk at this stage".
The group allegedly linked to the ongoing incident in Kensington Gardens emerged in March 2026 following the start of the Iran war. They have since claimed responsibility for an explosion at a synagogue in Liège and an arson attack on a car in Antwerp, Belgium; an arson attack at a synagogue in Rotterdam and an explosion at a Jewish school in Amsterdam in the Netherlands; and three arson attacks in north London.
