A man has been charged with assaulting police after a terror alert at a busy shopping centre.

Florian-Gigi Calin, 35, was charged today with two assaults on police and one count of criminal damage following the evacuation of Barking’s Vicarage Field shortly after 10.20am yesterday.

The suspect, of no fixed abode, was initially arrested on suspicion of obstructing a search under the Terrorism Act. This charge was dropped after the bag he left behind in Station Parade centre was found to be “not suspicious”.

Vicarage Field reopened shortly after the incident. Station Parade was cordoned off but reopened before midday.

Calin was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court today.