A complex security operation has been drawn up ahead of Donald Trump’s state visit this week.
Thousands of extra police have been drafted in to ensure the US president’s visit goes without a hitch.
President Trump, and his wife Melania, are set to arrive in Britain on September 17, when they will be hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
Tall fences measuring 7ft have been erected around the Windsor estate and temporary airspace restrictions will be in place from September 16, when a rehearsal is expected to go ahead.
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A 24-hour policing operation will kick into action for the duration of the president’s stay, with armed officers patrolling the streets with Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs).
Armed officers will have a plethora of weapons at their disposal, including Tasers, baton guns propelling rubber bullets, Glock 17 sidearms, Lewis Machine & Tool rifles, and shotguns.
Police sergeant and operational firearms commander Daniel Hatfield said authorities had considered all potential eventualities for Trump’s visit, from low to high risk.
But he added the task was made much easier by records of previous presidential visits to Windsor as well as ‘well forged’ relationships with US forces.
He said that forces would be prepared for all types of attack, including equipment including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear with overalls, gloves, respirators and ballistic helmets all on hand.
Sargent Hatfield said: ‘That is something which hopefully is very unlikely to happen, but if there was ever to be a firearms threat as well as CBRN, this is what we would deploy with our weapons system.’
The visit will mark an unprecedented second state occasion held for Trump, who was previously given the honour in 2019.
Trump’s first UK state visit saw thousands take to the street in London in protest.
(Picture: w8media)
Similar demonstrations expected in the capital and Windsor throughout next week, with the Stop Trump Coalition expected to stage protests in central London and near Windsor Castle.
Activists, however, won’t be launching the infamous Trump baby balloon, which featured the president in a nappy holding a mobile phone.
The six-metre inflatable was flown in the skies during Trump’s last state visit, when it was flanked by campaigners in red flying suits dubbed ‘Trump’s babysitters’. The original blimp was since purchased by the Museum of London.
The campaign organisers told Metro they were not able to obtain permissions to fly the blimp ahead of the protests, so the blimp will not be flying this time around.
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