Date: 2024-12-21 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00016771
The Trump Presidency
State Visit to the UK
Donald Trump visit to the UK: Massive security operation in place
Peter Burgess
Donald Trump, whose state visit will begin on Monday.
A huge police and security operation will be in place as US President Donald Trump arrives in the UK.
The Metropolitan Police said it had “a very experienced command team” leading the operation as the force geared up to deal with the visit itself and expected protests.
Last year, almost 10,000 officers were deployed for Mr Trump’s trip to the UK, with nearly every force in the country providing staff to support the operation.
During the state visit, which begins on Monday, protesters are again hoping to fly the Donald Trump blimp, which depicts the American leader as a baby.
A 16ft talking robot of Mr Trump sitting on a gold toilet is also expected to make an appearance.
Supporters of Human Rights charity Amnesty will also unfurl five giant banners from Vauxhall Bridge, facing the US embassy, saying “Resist sexism”, “Resist racism”, “Resist hate”, “Resist cruelty” and “Resist Trump”.
Kate Allen, Amnesty International UK section’s director, said: “Trump has presided over two-and-a-half years of utterly shameful policies.
“Locking up child migrants, imposing a discriminatory travel ban, decimating global funding for women’s rights and withdrawing from global human rights bodies. It’s been a roll call of shame under Donald Trump’s presidency.
“We need to resist Trump’s trashing of human rights.
“Within the Anglo-American relationship, we’d like to see the UK Government being far more vocal about human rights.
“Our fear is that the Government’s desperate hunger for post-Brexit trade deals with the USA could mean we end up giving a free pass to the White House as this onslaught against human rights continues.”
The robot depicts the American leader with his trousers round his ankles while tweeting and says some of his well-known phrases such as “stable genius” and “no collusion”, as well as breaking wind.
The Met said officers have met organisers of the Together Against Trump protest, who plan to gather in Trafalgar Square on Tuesday.
The force is in discussions to agree a route with the demonstrators, who wish to pass down Whitehall.
A section of the road will be closed off as part of the security operation around the President’s visit.
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: “A very experienced command team is preparing the multi-faceted policing and security operation for the President’s visit and whilst the Met has a responsibility to ensure the right to lawful protest this needs to be balanced with the complex requirements of this policing plan.”
Security has also been tightened for the UK’s national commemorations of the 75th D-Day anniversary, which will be attended by international figures including the Queen and Mr Trump.
Members of the public will be prevented from watching the event, with a double-layered solid fence to be erected around Southsea Common in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
The Met has already staged a major policing operation around protests this year, with more than 10,000 officers deployed to deal with the Extinction Rebellion demonstrations that dominated parts of central London.
Police forces in the UK have experienced a drop of nearly 20,000 officers since 2010 and concerns over resources have come into sharp focus amid a recent surge in violent crime.
When Mr Trump’s state visit was announced earlier this year, Simon Kempton from the Police Federation warned officers were already “run ragged” with extra work.
The 2018 Trump visit racked up an estimated bill of £18 million.
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