A helicopter was spotted at the scene circling overhead. Armed police officers entered a building next to the Royal Inn Chinese restaurant in Longport. Students at the nearby Canterbury College were initially advised to stay on the campus as a precautionary measure while the nature of the incident was established.
Social media users took to Twitter with one describing the scene as an “armed siege”.
A spokesman for Canterbury College told Kent Live: “Due to an ongoing police operation that’s taking place in the city, we are ensuring our students remain safe and well by asking them to remain in their classes on our site.
“When the police have finished their operation in Canterbury we will allow students to continue as normal.”
A Kent Police spokesman said officers were called at 11.15am to a report of concern for a woman in a property in Longport, according to Kent Live.
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He added: “Officers, including armed officers and a police helicopter, attended the area due to concern that there may be a weapon present.
“A woman was safely located and officers remain at the scene making enquiries. No weapons have been located at this time.”
Police began to leave the scene at about 2.30pm.
Canterbury Christ Church University student Jack Whitlam, 20, who lives in Love Lane, told KentOnline: “There’s been two armed police officers standing at the end of the road pretty much the whole morning.
“He was brought behind a police car on his knees and then taken away by an officer.
“There hasn’t been much movement from the house since.
“It’s just been the one man came out.
“He wasn’t escorted out of the house – he ran out, I think he was sent out by the police and they were told to get behind the car.”
