DETAILS FROM THE UK MEDIA BRIEFING RE POLICING FOR THE ROYAL WEDDING - HELD AT NEW SCOTLAND YARD ON 26 APRIL:
THE FOLLOWING IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER LYNNE OWENS, CENTRAL OPERATIONS:
Commander Christine Jones from now on is the media spokesperson for this event. The Command Structure is Commander Bob Broadhurst as Gold, who is one of our most experienced public order commanders. He is supported by a Silver commander who is Ch Supt Peter Terry. I would like to pay tribute to them for all of the work they have done with their teams to get us to this stage of the planning for the event - the Royal Wedding.
The MPS has been planning this day since the engagement was announced 22 weeks ago. We have been working very closely with a full range of partners which include the Royal Household, Government departments, Transport for London and Westminster City Council.
Hundreds of thousands of people will want to come and be part of this unique event and join in the sense of occasion. The MPS's role is to make sure they can do that and do it safely. We expect thousands of people to line the route and if they choose to, gather in Hyde Park or Trafalgar Square, where there will be large TV screens. Our main job on the day is to keep the event and individuals safe and secure.
I'd like to take this opportunity to give some words of advice for those who want to come to London and I'd also like to make a plea. Please plan your day before you come. Details about the ceremony are available online through the Royal Household and through Direct.Gov.
We would ask you to listen to our officers and the stewards who will be available on the day and please do as they ask. They are there to make sure your day is safe and you enjoy the celebration. Unfortunately on some occasions this may involve walking a longer route.
We are told that some people may want to camp out overnight and again we would ask those people to monitor the weather and make sure they come with everything they need. It is important that people keep an eye on their own belongings. Please don't let opportunist thieves spoil the day for you.
My second message is equally important. With thousands of people wanting to come and support the Royal Family in this celebration we really need you to be our eyes and ears. If you see anybody in the crowd acting suspiciously please bring it to the earliest attention of our officers. There will be thousands of officers lining the route and they are there to help you. If you think there is anyone there with the intention of trying to disrupt your day please tell a police officer. We are very clear that we want this to be a safe, secure and happy event and we intend to interact robustly, quickly and firmly if anyone engages in criminal activity and the public can help us with that desire.
We have also been liaising with residents and businesses to make them aware of our policing plans because there will be road closures in place and there will be disruption.
THE FOLLOWING IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE MEDIA SPOKESPERSON FOR THE EVENT - COMMANDER CHRISTINE JONES:
On the morning of the Royal Wedding road closures will be in place from about 06.00. This is an essential part of making sure that this event can take place safely and appropriately.
Between 08.15 and 09.45 on the day the general congregation will start to arrive at Westminster Abbey. Those attending will have to go through a security regime away from the main entrance of the Abbey.
At about 10.10 His Royal Highness Prince William accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Harry will leave Clarence House arriving at Westminster Abbey at 10.15.
From 10.25 members of the Royal Family will start to leave Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey.
At approximately 10.50 the bridal party will leave the Goring Hotel arriving at Westminster Abbey at 11.00.
After the ceremony the couple will travel back to Buckingham Palace by carriage with a Captain's Escort of the Household Cavalry accompanied by the Grey Escort from the Met's Mounted Branch.
In total there will be nine Grey horses and officers forming the return escort. All the horses used are operational police horses and are very experienced and used to working in these environments. The Grey horses and the officers are there in a ceremonial capacity but they are also part of our overall security operation. Other mounted officers will form part of the security operation for the day and they will be on duty at diversion points along the route.
Our police officers will line the route interspersed with military personnel. We need the public to engage with our officers. Talk to them and let them know of anything that you find out of place or causes any concern at all.
Given the thousands of people who we expect to line The Mall we will have the right tactics in place to ensure that crowds can move from this part of the route on to Buckingham Palace.
Our officers will line the breadth of The Mall and walk slowly up The Mall as security barriers are removed allowing the crowd to fall in behind us and make it to the Palace for the balcony appearance by the Royal couple at about 13.25.
We expect that if the weather is good people will want to stay in London and enjoy the atmosphere. Again we would ask people to work under the direction of police officers and keep their belongings safe and secure.
Our message is that if you see anything suspicious or out of place please be our eyes and ears and let us know immediately.
Our operation will draw on our substantial experience and skills. We aim to ensure that our safety and security operation is effective yet does not detract from a day of celebration, joy and ceremony.
Around 5,000 police officers will be involved in this event. This will include officers from boroughs, motorcyclists from the Special Escort Group, sniffer dogs and their handlers, specialist search officers, Mounted Branch officers, close protection officers and firearms officers.
Around 350 Volunteer Police Cadets will also have a role to play in supporting the public by looking after specific crossing points along the route and dedicated viewing areas. Members of our Special Constabulary will also be a part of this operation as well as supporting borough policing.
Behind the scenes, to support our policing operation will be catering staff to feed us, our control room staff so that we can communicate and grooms to prepare the horses.
Policing will of course go on as normal across London on Friday.
We know that celebrations won't just be happening in central London around the route. There will be a number of local celebrations and street parties. The event will be screened around the world by both the national and international media.
Our operation has been meticulously planned and we have thought through and planned for a huge range of contingencies. As part of our pre-event work we have been running operations focussed on our intelligence gathering. Our intelligence picture is kept under constant review and will continue to be so up to and including the Royal event.
In London we operate on a daily basis against the backdrop of a severe threat from international terrorism and of course we have planned to this threat level for this event. But we have no specific intelligence to suggest a threat to this event at this time.
We know that opportunistic criminals use the cover of crowds to commit crime so please help us stop this. Look after yourselves and be our eyes and ears on the day.
There has been much speculation about what we are expecting in terms of protest or disruption. We would be wrong not to consider spontaneous protest as part of our contingency planning.
Let me make it clear. This is a day of celebration, joy and pageantry for Great Britain. Any criminals attempting to disrupt it - be that in the guise of protest or otherwise - will be met by a robust, decisive, flexible and proportionate policing response.
Part of the operation includes taking action before the day wherever possible to help us to achieve our aims of safety and security.
We have been working closely with officers investigating recent demonstrations in London and as you are aware bail conditions have been imposed on over 60 arrested people including that they will not be allowed to enter London on the day of the wedding.
I can also confirm that as part of the investigation into the TUC demonstration and the subsequent disorder that took place, since 18 April six people have been arrested for a range of offences. The work of the investigation team continues and as you would have seen over the last few days further images of people we would like to speak to have been released to the media.
ATTRIBUTABLE TO AC OWENS:
I would just like to conclude by saying that the Met polices over 4,500 events every year including significant ceremonial occasions such as Trooping the Colour and the state opening of parliament. We are proud to be policing this day of celebration and are looking forward to it.
- SOURCE: POLICE PRESS BUREAU