More than 30 arrests made in police operation for Queen’s funeral
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley outlines 'enormous policing operation' for the Queen's funeral
More than 30 arrests have been made so far as part of the biggest policing operation in the Met’s history in the lead-up to the Queen’s funeral.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said by Friday morning 34 people had been arrested for a “range of offences” but described this as “relatively few”, adding that none had been for protesting.
Scotland Yard has not yet been able to provide a breakdown of the offences involved.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the force is being supported by officers from "pretty much every force across the country".
"The number of officers deployed is heading to a point where it will be well beyond the total size of a force like West Midlands or Greater Manchester. It'll be heading into the high numbers of thousands."
As well as officers patrolling routes and controlling crowds, Sir Rowley said specialist counter-terror, firearms and search officers will be supporting the event "in an as unobtrusive way as possible".
Mr Cundy added: “This will be the largest single policing event that the Met Police has ever undertaken.
“As a single event this is larger than the 2012 Olympics, it is larger than the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
“The range of officers, police staff and all those supporting the operation is truly immense.”
It will also be the largest global protection operation the force has dealt with, as hundreds of world leaders, dignitaries and other VIPs are expected to attend the state funeral on Monday.
In the wake of the Queen’s death, in mutual aid alone – officers who are drafted in from outside forces to help – there will be 20,000 officer shifts throughout the week and 2,000 officers in a single day at the peak, Mr Cundy said.
Specialist teams involved in the operation include motorbike escort riders, mounted branch carrying out patrols on horseback, firearms officers, dog teams and the marine unit.
The force has used more than 22 miles (36km) of barriers in central London alone to control crowds and keep key areas secure.
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