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Saturday 25 November 2017

The Men Who 'Started' The Oxford Street Panic: Police Release Photos Of Two Passengers Whose Fight On An Overcrowded Platform Led To A Stampede That Injured Nine

'No shots, no casualties' after panic at Oxford Circus
British Transport Police are hunting for two men after reports of 'gun shots' lead to a stampede and several people being injured in Oxford Street this afternoon. Armed police triggered their protocol for terrorist attacks (right) and descended on Britain's most famous shopping street on one of its busiest days of the year. 

It came after witnesses reported a fight breaking out on the westbound platform at Oxford Circus tube station, which soon spilled out on to the streets and sparked chaos at around 5pm (top right). British Transport Police confirmed this evening the mass evacuation was caused by an 'altercation' between two men. They have now released two images of two men (top left and bottom left) they would like to speak to about the incident.

Nine people were seen running on Regent Street and looked fearful as the chaos began to unravel around Oxford Circus
Terrified shoppers who ran from the area were told to take cover and sought refuge in Topshop, the Nike store, Zara and John Lewis.
Some shop assistants closed the shops and locked the shutters while others sent people down to the basements for safety. 

Boots pharmacist Alyssa Puddle, 25, originally from Cwmbran, South Wales, said: 'There were hundreds of people standing with their Black Friday shopping waiting to get home, and some people were not in the best mood.
'I saw a group of 20 lads walking down the westbound platform in one direction, and two other men coming the other way.
'My view was blocked, so I'm not sure what started the fight, but the next second a woman was screaming as if something terrible had happened. They must have bumped into each other and started it from there.
Some officers wore balaclavas as they patrolled the streets while shoppers ran away and hid inside the shops this afternoon
'Because it was so busy people were just being sucked into the fight and shoved around. I got forced up against a wall as the brawl got bigger.
'More people were screaming and shouting and I saw several punches fly.
'Eventually the larger group grabbed one of the other men by the scruff of the neck and dragged him to the edge of the platform.
'There was a train coming and it looked like he would be pushed onto the tracks. It was horrifying.

'Everyone panicked and started shouting to get the guy away from the platform edge.
'When the train came up to the platform the fight stopped and the group moved off.
'I jumped on the train to get away, and that's when they made the announcement to evacuate the station.
'All I could see before it pulled away was a herd of people surging towards to the stairs to escape.
'As I got on the tube the comms speaker announced the station as being evacuated and for everyone to leave.
'As the tube doors shut police officers had arrived.
'As the speakers went off I saw everyone run from the platform. People panicked because it looked very sinister.'  
Officers heavily clad with guns and protective gear were seen walking past Bond Street station towards Oxford Circus

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