Police were called at 2.10pm on Monday, 9 January to reports of a man damaging cars with a baton in Trumans Road, near Stoke Newington Road, N16. The man was detained by officers and was seen to be wearing a suspicious-looking item. The item was assessed and deemed not to be suspicious.
He was detained under the Mental Health Act and has been taken to an east London hospital.
Road closures were in place as a precaution while officers dealt with the incident.
This is not being treated as a terrorist incident.