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Title: Royal Cult Worship: Police Ban Protests, Raid Homes of Demonstrators
Source:
Sky News
URL Source: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Ro ... edding%3A_Huge_Security_Operat
Published: Apr 29, 2011
Author: Martin Brunt
Post Date: 2011-04-29 20:58:46 by A K A Stone
Keywords: None
Views: 2016
Comments: 1
Police have hailed the British public for helping to make the Royal Wedding security operation "an amazing success", following the arrest of 55 people. Suspected anarchists were apparently seen putting masks on in central London's Soho Square before the Royal Wedding got under way nearby. Many arrests were made along the route where the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge later passed after their marriage ceremony. The alleged offences included breach of the peace, drunk and disorderly, handling stolen goods and possession of an offensive weapon. A 38-year-old man suspected of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl on The Mall was among those detained. Top Met Cop Discusses Security Operation The £20m security operation got under way as police and the military faced the threat of terrorists, anarchists and stalkers. Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Lynne Owens said her 5,000 officers should be "immensely proud" of their role in the "happy and safe" event. Scotland Yard had reported the number of arrests as 57, but this was later corrected to 55. Sky sources earlier revealed 21 suspected anarchists had been banned from Westminster for the day's events. Police at The Mall ahead of the Royal Wedding Officers carried out extensive searches along the Royal Wedding route Each of the 21 have been bailed by police, while three others arrested in raids on premises - mostly squats - in London, Sussex and Cambridgeshire, are still in custody. A ring of steel was thrown around Westminster Abbey where thousands of well-wishers gathered to catch a glimpse of the happy couple. Armed police and undercover squads of special forces mingled with the crowds to combat any attempt to disrupt the event. Marksmen took up position on roofs along the ceremonial route as search teams and sniffer dogs carried out a final check of vulnerable locations. More than 80 VIPs were given close-protection bodyguards. Royal Wedding: Big Screen Moments Police insisted they had no intelligence of a specific terrorism threat, although the UK remains on the second-highest alert to an attack from al Qaeda and a substantial risk of a strike from dissident Irish republicans. Scotland Yard had warned it would launch a pre-emptive strike against any suspected troublemakers and Ms Owens defended pre-event raids on suspected troublemakers as "entirely justified". A squatter caught up in one raid in South London said: "The idea that the anarchist community or squatting community is mobilising for the Royal Wedding is insane. "I think the real motive for this is to lead an assault on the squatting community. "It is political policing which is designed to be theatrical and which damages people's lives in the process." This is a day of celebration and there should be no place for disruption. But we are ready to deal quickly, robustly and decisively with any trouble. Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Lynne Owens MP John McDonnell urged the Home Office to explain the raids, branding them "a disproportionate use of force." A secretive unit of police and psychiatrists, the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, had identified and warned off several people with obsessions about members of the Royal Family. Of the 5,000 officers on duty for the wedding, most of them stationed along the route with others on standby to deal with any trouble on the fringes. They were joined by Army, Navy and Air Force personnel.
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#1. To: A K A Stone (#0)
Wow. They were selling beers right on the streets.
Scotland Yard had reported the number of arrests as 57, but this was later corrected to 55.
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