A man has been stabbed outside the National Theatre on the Southbank, London several hours before the Bafta Television awards began at the Royal Festival Hall nearby.
The severity of the man’s injuries are not known.
He was stabbed in broad daylight on the theatre terrace, next to Waterloo Bridge, minutes before 4pm on Sunday, police said.
A Met police statement said: “Police in Lambeth were called to Upper Ground, Lambeth, London SE1 outside the Royal National Theatre terrace at 3.59pm on Sunday, 13 May following reports of a stabbing.
“Officers, London Air Ambulance and London Ambulance Service attended and found a man aged in his 20s suffering from a stab injury.
“He has been taken to a central London hospital. A full update on his injuries awaits.
“No arrests have been made. Inquiries continue. A crime scene remains in place.”
Eyewitnesses reported seeing ambulances, armed officers and fire engines surrounding the area around the Southbank as they attended the scene.
One witness told the Evening Standard: “They led me to the National Theatre next to where the Baftas are and I saw them take on a stretcher a young black man from the first floor. He seemed to have been hurt on the chest. He had a bandage there with blood and he was led away. He seemed conscious.
“Then it was crazy because of the Baftas you had all these people in nice dresses and clothes.”
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 3.56pm today (13 May) to reports of a stabbing on Upper Ground, SE1.
“We sent a motorcycle paramedic, an ambulance crew and an incident response officer to the scene. We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance. We treated a patient at the scene and took them as a priority to hospital.”
