Streatham terror attack: Moment waitress asks if cafe can stay open 30 minutes longer after police officer orders evacuation

A police officer attempted to evacuate the cafe, but a worker asked him to wait
@The_Write_Type/Twitter
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This is the moment a waitress asked if police officers could delay the cafe evacuation during the Streatham terror attack because her customers had “just started eating”.

Footage shared on social media shows the officer enter the cafe and order everyone to evacuate immediately owing to a “terrorist incident.”

But a woman’s voice can be heard responding: “Just give us half an hour, people are just starting to eat."

The exchange began with the officer shouting: “Sorry guys, you're going to have to close, we have got to evacuate, I'm afraid. Everyone's going to have to go, I'm afraid.

"There's been a terrorist incident down there. We are closing everything down. You guys want to stay safe you will listen to me."

When the waitress made the request, the officer replied: "Madam, a terrorist has been shot dead just down there."

“They've got a possible IED vest on them, which is a bomb. If you want to stay open for half-an-hour and you want to put people's lives in danger, be my guest.

"Please listen to me and please make your way out of the shop, turning that way and making your way out of the area."

Police officers guard a cordon, set up on Streatham High Road following the suspected terrorist attack
AFP via Getty Images

Two people were stabbed in the attack on Streatham High Road on Sunday afternoon which police believe to be “Islamist-related”.

The perpetrator was shot dead by police within minutes of beginning his violent assault. He has been named as Sudesh Amman, 20, a convicted terrorist who had recently been released from prison.

Sudesh Amman was a convicted terror offender (Metropolitan Police)
Met Police

Amman was under active police surveillance at the time of the attack in which three people were injured. The victims were taken by ambulance to south London hospitals.

One man, in his 40s, is no longer considered to be in a life-threatening condition following treatment, police said.

A woman, in her 50s, who had non-life threatening injuries has been discharged from hospital.

Police said a second woman in her 20s, who received minor injuries believed to have been caused by glass following the discharge of a police firearm, continues to receive treatment.

A device found strapped to the body of the suspect was a hoax, the Metropolitan Police added in a statement.

They said: “The situation has been contained and officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are now leading an investigation into the incident.

“The incident was quickly declared as a terrorist incident and we believe it to be Islamist-related.”

One witness described seeing the man apparently carrying a weapon with “silver canisters on his chest” being shot in front of a Boots store.

Another said members of the public came to the aid of victims, with one saying she had been stabbed.

People took shelter in nearby shops as the incident unfolded on the busy south London high street.

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