The security operation beat the May Day rioters in London – the 2001 battle in what looks like becoming an annual day of conflict.
The security operation beat the May Day rioters in London – the 2001 battle in what looks like becoming an annual day of conflict. Heavy policing in co-operation with private security staffs largely prevented criminal damage in the West End, at the cost of bringing business for the day to a standstill. Gerry McCartney, Head of Support Services at the Imperial War Museum, the man in charge of security at several central London visitor attractions, told Professional Security: ‘None of our branches had any problems, although the numbers for visitors were down on the average due to people avoiding coming into central London. The march from the Elephant & Castle to the north side of the river passed nearby to Lambeth Road [the Imperial War Museum] without incident due to efficient policing. All three London branches, Lambeth Road, HMS Belfast, and the Cabinet War Rooms, had ensured maximised number of security staff available by adjusting rest days etc. External patrols were increased to ensure the early warning of any approach and CCTV was deployed to achieve the same end. Security staff were appraised of appropriate emergency shut down actions in the event of a direct threat and primed on what to say to the public. None of which was put to the test.’ Some good fortune – bad weather – aided the security operation; for example, a procession passed the City University in pouring rain, reported Bernadette Duncan, head of security there: ‘We had contingency plans but didn’t need them, thankfully.’ A repeat of the disorder (and highly-planned prevention) is likely on May 1, 2002, London Mayor Ken Livingstone commenting: ‘We are not going to have a load of violent nutters rampaging around the capital.’ While CCTV cameras were ripped off the Oxford Street branch of John Lewis, the worst of the May 1 vandalism came (as in the poll-tax riot of 1990) late in the day as protesters dispersed, away from police. Premises around Tottenham Court Road and Goodge Street were vandalised. The City of London had a largely disorder-free day, apart from private security guards and police seeing off an effort by protesters to enter Pricewaterhouse off the Strand. Learning from the disorder in central London on May 1, 2000, many premises were boarded up or shuttered for the day – the Ritz’s shutters were characteristically chic, colour-cordinated with the awnings (blue) and allowing for recess lighting. Resolution Security provided on-line photographs from staff of the protests in central London on the morning, reporting prophetically at 1pm: ‘Traditionally the mornings tend to be peaceful and the trouble starts after about 2pm to 3pm after the crowds have had the opportunity to soak up large quantities of alcohol allowing the real troublemakers to organise the crowd and move amongst them.’ Smaller demos in Birmingham, Bristol and Glasgow passed off peacefully.
