Tate Modern and Millennium Bridge evacuated after bomb scare

The Tate Modern was evacuated after an incident this afternoon, with police, fire and ambulance crews on scene.

A source told Metro the building and nearby Millennium Bridge were cordoned off as a precaution after a suspicious package was found.

The cordon at Tate Modern has since been lifted, and the gallery – along with the nearby Millennium Bridge – has both reopened.

Tate member Mark Adams, 64, had just got into the new Tracey Emin exhibition when staff began ushering everyone out of the gallery.

He told Metro: ‘It all kicked off with staff telling us we had to leave, there was no tannoy, I expect they didn’t want to cause panic. They really didn’t know much. We were asking them why we had to go.

‘Security wouldn’t let us go out through the Turbine Hall onto the side of the River Thames. We were ushered out of the back through the shop underneath the new wing.

‘Everyone was fine and very professional – the staff were clearly well drilled.’

He added: ‘I came out immediately, but there were other people not taking it seriously and milling around in the wrong direction.

‘When we got out, we saw everything. The Met’s elite Territorial Support Group, ambulance, and fire engines are descending from every direction.

‘It was quite impressive how quickly it all happened. Suddenly, there were emergency services of every flavour. I walked to Waterloo, and there were still police arriving.’

He spent the rest of the afternoon at Tate Britain, where staff couldn’t tell him any more details.

A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said: ‘Firefighters have been called to assist police at an incident on Bankside.

‘The Brigade was called at 1130. Two fire engines from Dowgate and Soho fire stations are at the scene.’

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