Noticeable Increase in London Police Presence
A quick one, and not the best title I know. But there’s been a noticeable increase of late in police numbers onthe streets around the office, and in tube/train stations on the way home. Over the last fortnight, I’ve noticed at various times during the week there being at least 20 or 30 (and possibly many more on platforms and other lines) police officers putting in a presence at both Green Park station, Waterloo and Twickenham stations.
One of the guys at work was stopped randomly was searched (padded down, emptied bags, etc) under the terrorist act (can’t say No, basically), in Green Park station on the way home the other night, nothing came of it, of course. And completely unrelated, but the police have closed off a lane outside the office and are searching cars too. Though that’s probably licensing, more than anything.
A completely unrelated sign I spotted whilst on my way to the rugby on the weekend
It really makes me wonder though, since I’ve been here (especially since attempted car bombings in June* last year) there’s been an on/off police presence, which in a weird way I find oddly reassuring. But it begs the question, “Why the sudden spikes in activity, and then nothing for a few days?”. Are these really just random, routine acts in a way that could make the public feel safer and feel like the government/metro police are doing something? Or is there something more sinister going on?
I’m no conspiracy theorist, but suspicious one inside me notices an alarming difference between one police/security officer whom you may see at a stationi entrance or patrolling the street, and literally an army of officers stopping/searching/charging people as they go about they’re daily commute.
I still can’t help but think these stop and searches could be better conducted in the problem areas, not the terrorism problem, but the problem that is still gripping London, and thats youth gang stabbings and warfare. I’d have to guess and say you’d be far more likely to find a butterfly knife on a dodgy looking youth in Brixton, than anything of Terrorist nature in the bag of an otherwise innocent Software developer in Mayfair. Priorities!
But, in the end, we’ve just got to forget about it and get on with the task of getting home, god knows I’m not going to walk the whole distance.
Tags: London
June 4th, 2008 at 6:58 am
Well, there’s a couple of thoughts there, which make me think two things…
First, maybe inspired by watching Spooks, there could be responses to vague terrorist threats or that “chatter” crap. There’s probably lots of people making stupid threats and that sort of bollocks all the time, and it only takes one of them to be right.
The second is that targetting specific areas and groups of people all the time could raise equity issues - like racial profilling in the US. Thats used almost like institutionalised racism.
June 4th, 2008 at 7:12 am
thoughts that make me think!
I speak english good!