Woman arrested after four men stabbed in Covent Garden

Four men were injured in a stabbing in central London on Wednesday, leading to the arrest of a woman. The Metropolitan Police responded to reports of an incident on Endell Street in Covent Garden at 12:27pm. Officers found four men, aged 34, 39, 42 and 52, suffering from stab wounds. They were taken to a major trauma centre by the London Ambulance Service.

A 47-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of an offensive weapon. Police believe the attack was linked to mental health issues. A pair of scissors was recovered at the scene. The victims' condition has not been disclosed, and police have remained at the location.

Witnesses described the woman using scissors in the attack. Andrea, manager of the Da Mario restaurant on Endell Street, said he recognised her as someone often seen on the street, adding that similar behaviour had occurred before. She was reportedly involved in a recent argument and threw a vodka bottle outside the restaurant. The incident took place during the lunch rush, but diners were unfazed and continued their meals, Andrea noted. The cordon was later removed by 3:30pm.

Another witness, Arjan Gjorga, who works at the Rock and Sole Plaice fish restaurant, said the woman was known to workers on the street and was homeless. He described people running away as a commotion broke out. Gjorga said the victims appeared to be chosen at random, and praised the police for responding quickly and arresting the woman immediately.

Met Police data shows a 3% drop in knife crime offences for the year to date compared with the same period in 2025 across the force's area. That includes an 11% reduction in knife-enabled robberies and a 1.5% decrease in knife-enabled injury crimes. The ambulance service dispatched a crew, a paramedic in a fast-response car and an incident response officer. London's air ambulance was also called; video on social media showed a helicopter landing in Trafalgar Square.