Member Article

Businesses warned after protests halt UK fixtures

A leading security firm is warning people to be vigilant when they attend large events because of the disruption being caused by protesters.

Kingdom Security says firms should make sure they have adequate measures in place to prevent demonstrators causing a nuisance after several activists were detained by police at King Charles lll’s Coronation in London earlier this month.

It follows a series of demonstrations by environmental and animal rights protesters recently which have seen motorways in the UK stopped and some buildings covered in paint.

Just last month, a major snooker tournament in Sheffield was halted when an activist got onto one of the tables and threw orange paint over it.

Graham Allison, Managing Director at Kingdom Security, says businesses should have access to the latest information about past protests, which they can access from police websites and media sources, and plan accordingly for future ones so they can minimise disruption to those coming into their premises. Members of the public attending, meanwhile, should be vigilant and report anything suspicious to the on-site security team.

He says: “Its important firms understand their responsibilities when it comes to ensuring the safety and security of people on their premises.

“As we have seen over recent months, several protesters have engaged in nuisance activity on public roads as well as big sporting events. We respect people’s right to peaceful protest, but where it develops into nuisance activity, we have the right officers with the right skill sets and qualities available to assist.

“To minimise any disruption and make sure everyone is kept safe and able to enjoy their day-to-day business, we recommend putting in place stringent security measures.”

Measures which may help include employing enough physical security officers who can engage in foot patrols to see anyone trying to access the site.

Other activities can include carrying out extensive bag checks and monitoring, installing CCTV cameras so evidence can be collected against perpetrators, and putting into place locks and alarms to make sure doors are not accessed inappropriately.

Graham adds: “Businesses who have good security measures in place can mitigate against a nuisance caused by protesters who enter their premises.

“These protocols will also help if disruption does occur as having the appropriate measures in place and creating a plan will mean you can bring any disruption to a swift conclusion.

“And, of course, make sure you keep up to date with the latest information around the protesters from police websites and the media to ensure you know what security measures you should consider or put into place as this is a fast moving and evolving situation.

“If you’re attending an event, be vigilant to what’s going on and report anything suspicious to the security team or police.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Harrop .