Britain’s top officer says stop terror by keeping cars out of Westminster
WESTMINSTER COULD be pedestrianised in a bid to ward off vehicle attacks which are terrorists’ “weapon of choice”, Britain’s most senior police officer said.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick praised officers’ courage as they leapt into action following the “ghastly” crash at the Houses of Parliament.
A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terror after crashing a silver Ford Fiesta on Tuesday.
Over the last 18 months Westminster has become a target for attacks for a variety of motivations, Ms Dick said.
She said: “You will notice the security around parliament both in terms of armed officers and police officers and physical barriers has been further enhanced over the last several months and there is more to come on that in further months.
“Whether that area outside should be pedestrianised further, there should be further physical works done, I think is a matter that will be discussed no doubt between parliamentary authorities, us, the intelligence agencies and indeed the local authorities and the mayor.”
Ms Dick said vehicles had become a “weapon of choice” for terrorists. She said we should not give in to fear but we should take “reasonable measures.” Suspect on way to get visa:
THE PRIME Minister has been accused of celebrating the police in times of crisis but then “stabbing them in the back” in the wake of the attempted Westminster terror attack.
Theresa May heralded the “formidable courage” and professionalism of the emergency services who “ran towards” danger in the wake of Tuesday’s car smash at the Houses of Parliament.
But chairman of the Police Federation John Apter said her words provoked anger among thousands of rank-and-file officers, who are currently bearing the brunt of budget cuts.
He said: “What angers me is that in times of crisis, such as what happened yesterday on the doorstep almost of Parliament, then the Prime Minister is the first to celebrate how brilliant police officers and policing are, but in the very next breath she’s stabbing them in the back.
“The hypocrisy that comes from the Prime Minister really does stink. She can’t have her cake and eat it when it comes to a relationship with policing and with police officers.”
The federation, which represents 119,000 officers from the rank of constable to chief inspector, has long campaigned against budget cuts and warned that public safety is being put at risk.
There is a heated row over pay levels, with the federation saying that officers have only had a 0.85 per cent rise in real terms and that more are having to take second jobs as they struggle financially.
Mr Apter, who became federation chief two weeks ago, said Mrs May, who was Home Secretary from 2010 to 2016, has “shown nothing but contempt for policing and those within it”.
He said: “Policing in some parts of the country has become unsustainable in its current format and it’s had to change and that’s not to provide a better service to the public, it’s providing a worse service to the public.”
He pledged to have a tough conversation with Home Secretary Sajid Javid about how policing has been affected by cuts.