The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics are the “greatest security challenge” Britain has faced since the Second World War, Home Office minister Lord West warned today.
In the two years since the Prime Minister asked him to review how best to protect crowded places, transport and national infrastructures from terrorist attacks, measures have been taken which have “made the nation safer but we are not safe – the threat is still there”.
London 2012
He told a central London conference on security for the 2012 Games: “We are not complacent. We do not underestimate the scale of the Olympics challenge.
“There is no doubt that the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games promises to be the greatest Games in history and possibly the greatest security challenge the UK has faced since the Second World War.”
The current risk is substantial but may be severe by 2012, he said.
Not only will organisers have to cater for 14,500 competing athletes, 20,000 members of the world media and nine million tickets to be sold, they also face a raft of security issues- not too mention lots of horses!
The “huge complexity” of risks includes not just the terrorist threat but also serious and organised crime, domestic extremism, crowd management and natural disasters such as flooding and heatwaves.
Lord West noted: “We in the UK have a magnificent track record of hosting events – it’s one of the reasons that we won the Games.”
Organisers and security experts have been at pains to try to design-in security into the 2012 venues, both in London and across Britain, so that it is not “an afterthought”.
Another headache for 2012 security organisers is striking the right balance between security that is necessary but not imposing.
“The Olympics and Paralympics are about sport and not security,” Lord West said.
“We want the world to be inspired by sport in London and our security plans have to strike a balance between visible security and the welcome that we want. It is hoped to avoid a heavy-handed approach that will make the public scared.
Lord West said: “We want to ensure that the public are reassured by our security plans.
“It is always difficult. We do not want to frighten the horses. We do want the public to be vigilant but to enjoy it.
“I think we are well placed and well ahead at the moment but we risk complacency at our own peril as we are less than 1,000 days to go.”
Greenwich Park Olympic rethink. Source: thisislondon.co.uk
Olympic facts…did you know?
Equestrian has been part of the Olympic programme since Stockholm 1912, when 62 competitors from ten nations with 70 horses were involved.
At the Olympic Games, horses must be at least eight years old for Dressage and Eventing and nine years old for Jumping.
