The domestic intelligence services are on deck until the coronation on May 6. A former royal bodyguard testifies this Tuesday 21 March in the British media about the “vast” police operation necessary to secure the event.
Security threats are looming over the coronation of King Charles III. The historic event, which will bring together 3,000 spectators and members of the royal family on May 6, is at high risk. Multiple “threats” are to be feared, explained Simon Morgan, a former royal bodyguard, to the Daily Express newspaper on Tuesday 21 March. According to him, a “vast” and “multifaceted” police operation should be put in place. “You have to look at everything from international terrorism to the single cause issue, and everything in between,” he said in the columns of our British colleagues. The domestic intelligence services, more commonly known as MI5, are hard at work to secure the event in advance.
Islamic State, war in Ukraine, Irish independents or domestic terrorism … The threats are numerous, warns the man who spent more than twenty years in the security field. He recalled that “the greatest threat” could come from the English themselves. Activist groups for the environmental cause, such as Climate Control, Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil will be monitored as well as anti-monarchist movements such as Not My King. The latter might want to take advantage of the media attention that this event brings to get their message across. The MI5 services “will be watching, listening to the conversations of terrorist groups and groups like Extinction Rebellion to see if they intend to do something”, said Simon Morgan.
Like the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
In order to secure the coronation of King Charles III, traffic wardens, armed police, officers on horseback, counter-terrorism officers, intelligence services and the Criminal Investigation Department will be mobilized to minimize the risks. According to the Daily Express, they will use the same “scheme” that was put in place for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and her platinum jubilee. “None of this is improvised. This is something that has been used before. They are now making sure it is appropriate for this event,” the former royal bodyguard said.
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