The Canadian Parliament was put on lockdown Saturday after a man barricaded himself inside — prompting authorities to urge the public to “hide.”
Ottawa Police and Parliamentary Protective Services responded to Parliament Hill’s East Block on Wellington Street – where senators and their staff operate – just before 3 p.m. and later evacuated the area, Ottawa Police said in a X post.
Parliament Hill was still operating under a shelter-in-place order, with a heavily armed police presence cordoning the area, on Saturday evening.
The Parliamentary Protective Services issued an alert at 2:45 p.m. urging people inside to “seek shelter in the nearest room, close and lock all doors and hide,” according to CTV News.
There are no known injuries at this time, police said.
“Stay Safe Ottawa,” Canadian Senator Patrick Brazeau said on X, along with a photo of the startling alert.
Law enforcement sources told Global News that the situation has been contained and lockdown will remain in effect with police treating every incident as a “potential worst case scenario” to ensure the scene remains secure.
Parliament is currently dissolved due to an upcoming federal election in Canada.
Residents were also told to avoid the area and places under lockdown.
Road closures remain in place on Wellington St. from Bank Street to Sussex Drive, police said.
