Man arrested in London after stabbing near British Museum

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The Metropolitan Police say a suspect has been arrested in London Tuesday following a stabbing near the British Museum, one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. 

The incident happened around 10 a.m. at the intersection of Russell Street and Museum Street, according to police. 

"A man was treated for a stab wound to the arm at the scene and taken by London Ambulance Service to hospital," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. "His condition is being assessed." 

Authorities described the incident as isolated and that it is "not being treated as terror related." 

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Police and bystanders stand outside the British Museum after a stabbing incident close to the museum, in London, on Tuesday, Aug. 8. (Jordan Pettitt/PA via AP)

The Museum said on Twitter that it was temporarily "closed this morning due to an incident following a member of the public being attacked nearby."

"Visitors were evacuated as a precaution, and we wish the victim a swift recovery," it added. "The Museum has now reopened with raised security including a heightened search operation."

The London Ambulance Service told The Telegraph that the victim suffered a stab wound in the arm. 

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Police in London say they have arrested a man suspected of stabbing another man near the British Museum. The museum known for housing the Rosetta Stone was evacuated Tuesday but police say there's no more risk to the public.  (Jordan Pettitt/PA via AP)

"The scene may be in place for much of today," police said. 

The motive for the stabbing isn’t clear. 

One witness was quoted by the BBC as saying that an "angry man" took out a knife and started "hitting a young man."

"All the people there started to run scared," he said, describing the panic outside the British Museum.

"We started to run to the museum gate to tell the people there what was happening and to call the police," the witness told the BBC. "Everybody was telling them 'call the police, call the police, a man is stabbing a man'."

A police forensic tent is erected outside the British Museum on Tuesday in London, England.  (Carl Court/Getty Images)

Another witness, identified as a 27-year-old American woman, said she was just about to get into a line to enter the museum when she was motioned away by police.

"A cop directly in front of us told us we needed to leave and that the crime scene was large," she told the BBC. 

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the British Museum for further comment. 

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.