Belgian police arrest man trying to drive into crowd in Antwerp

Belgian police arrested a man after he tried to drive into a crowd at high-speed in a shopping area in the port city of Antwerp, a police chief said

A maroon-coloured vehicle ran a red light before the man attempted to drive directly into a crowded shopping street (Photo: Twitter)
A maroon-coloured vehicle ran a red light before the man attempted to drive directly into a crowded shopping street (Photo: Twitter)

A man has been detained in Antwerp, Belgium, after attempting to drive his car into a busy shopping street at high speed, according to police.

A maroon-coloured vehicle ran a red light before the man attempted to drive directly into a crowded shopping street.

"At about 11:00am, a vehicle with French plates tried to drive at high speed into the Meir [shopping street]. A man in camouflage was taken away," Antwerp police chief Serge Muyters told a news conference.

"The pedestrians had to jump aside," he added.

The federal prosecutor's office, which has taken over the investigation, named the suspect as "Mohamed R", a 39-year-old French national and resident of France. A prosecutor said knives and other weapons were found in the man's car.

A perimeter has been set up around the area and a bomb squad has been deployed.

Additional officers and military personnel have been deployed throughout the city, according to Antwerp police.

The incident came a day after an attack on the British parliament killed three people plus the attacker, which coincided with the first anniversary of the Brussels attacks, in which 32 people died.