FEAR COV COULD BE TERROR TARGET

CONCERNS RAISED AHEAD OF CITY OF CULTURE YEAR

FEARS have been raised that Coventry could become a target for terrorist attacks during its year in the spotlight as City of Culture.

The city is gearing up to welcome an estimated 2.5 million visitors in 2021 with a programme of events due to be revealed in autumn 2020.

But increased attention has led to fears the city could become a target, a council scrutiny board on Wednesday, December 4, heard.

“Prevention should be at the forefront of our minds after what happened at the London Bridge,” chair of city tasking on the Coventry Police and Crime Board Craig Hickin said.

“We are acutely aware that as the City of Culture it might well be that Coventry becomes an increased target because of national attention that will be on Coventry. That is something we are aware of.

“What we are planning in the coming year is to finance a training programme across the wider partnership to raise the profile of prevention and what people can do to prevent terrorism in our city.”

Training on terrorism prevention would be given to members of the Community Safety Partnership, Mr Hickin said.

Membership includes people from the council, police, fire, probation, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, Clinical Commissioning Groups, and community representatives.

The council has said it already runs a number of workshops and e-learning to raise awareness of the national ‘Prevent Strategy,’ which is available for key staff and schools.

Workshops help people understand the radicalisation process and identify referral processes including Channel - a programme which provides support at an early stage to people identified as being vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism.

A council spokesman added: “Looking ahead to next year we are hoping to secure additional funding for training that is available to wider partnership organisations.”

Council staff were circulated a message of unity in the aftermath of the London Bridge attack on November 29.

In a joint statement to staff, cabinet member and shadow cabinet member for policing and equalities Cllr Abdul Salam Khan and Cllr Allan Andrews: “We are all very proud of the excellent community relations in the city and are all united in condemning this act.

“We also wish to show our solidarity and reject all attempts by extremists who may seek to divide us. For us as a community in Coventry it’s absolutely vital to resist any attempts to create hate and division.

“A Coventry Partnership Hate Crime Strategy 2019-2022 was drawn up to challenge hate crime.

“As council employees, it is important we all become familiar with the hate crime reporting process and how we can offer guidance where necessary.

“Coventry has always been a wonderful place to live, a city that is welcoming.

“Let’s all stand together to ensure victims are supported and perpetrators are reported.”