It’s rare for journalists to be allowed into the Met
Police’s control room – especially when there is a major operation under way.
Even when it happens there are conditions. It’s supposed
to be at a secret location. I can say it’s in Lambeth – that’s about it.
And operational information displayed on screen and
whiteboards in front of dozens of officers and staff is not for publication.
But a visit offers a fascinating glimpse at the
surveillance possible in modern Britain.
We were shown live pictures from a police helicopter
above a pub. The camera’s lens was powerful enough to show a man sitting in the
window. We could see what drink he was enjoying and how much he had left in his
glass.
There are thousands of cameras in London – belonging to
the police, TfL, and local authorities, and the Met has access to them all.
Senior Met figures were also keen to point out the threat
their officers had encountered today – noting in their briefings the
knuckledusters, knives and class A drugs carried confiscated from counter
protestors.
Many of the crowd had convictions for football violence,
they added.
Remembrance Sunday takes place tomorrow. Police resources
will again be boosted – but a testing weekend for policing appears to be over
its most difficult day.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-67390343
