Army seeks crowd control tips

THE Army is to ask football event managers for advice on crowd control in the wake of the chaotic evacuation of thousands of people from Kabul this summer.

At an event held by the Royal United Services Institute yesterday, Lt Col David Middleton, 2 Para’s Commanding Officer, spoke of how his soldiers dealt with the situation whenever the “crowd swelled” and the subsequent need for “minute by minute crowd control with public order skills”, such as shields.

The measures included constructing obstacles, initially disused cars and then a blockade, to try and “manage the overwhelming numbers of people massing outside the hotel”, he said.

After the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, thousands of people travelled to Hamid Karzai International airport in August with the intention of fleeing the country, with large crowds forming at all major entrances. Management of the city airport became essential to a successful evacuation operation.

However, Major Jim Viney, Deputy Chief of Staff, 16 Air Assault Brigade, said: “This process taught us there is little military doctrine at the moment on crowd control, and I think we will reach out to industry to better understand

‘This process taught us that there is little military doctrine at the moment on crowd control’

how this can be done by military forces.”

Defence sources confirmed the Army would look to work with people who manage football events and stadiums, as well as the police, with regard to a better understanding of crowd control.

A source said 16 Air Assault Brigade remained “at readiness”, but it was imperative to “reach out to as many people as possible”.