Terrorist Attacks

The police constables are sometimes (but not always) assisted by yet more unarmed security guards from the Metropolitan Police P Division (Parliamentary Police). Behind the scenes, Metropolitan Police D Division (Diplomatic Protection) provide firearms support, although a cursory look at the weapons shows some of them aren’t even loaded.

Today the attacker simply had to overpower two unarmed police officers and he was in the heart of British government. Those officers could call for backup—but why weren’t the firearms officers at the gate in the first place?

THE BRITISH PUBLIC WANT THEIR POLICE ARMED

But there is no doubt that the spate of terrorist attacks, and in particular lone wolf attacks that have plagued Europe — so many of them inspired by the Islamic State — in recent years has resulted in a change in attitudes within the force.

The MBF survey carried out in January showed 26 per cent of Metropolitan police now want to be routinely armed — a jump of six per cent over the previous year.

The British public, however, have long called for their police to be more weaponised. A 2004 national poll on terrorism found 47 per cent supported arming all police, compared to 48 per cent against.

And in 2007, a survey of 2,156 people by think tank Policy Exchange found 72 per cent wanted to see more armed police patrols.

This morning’s attack has renewed public calls for all British police to carry guns — particularly in London and particularly for those officers guarding sensitive landmarks like the Palace of Westminster.

A scathing article by political staffer turned journalist Andre Walker published in the Observer online poured scorn on the practice of using unarmed guards to protect Parliament.

The UK’s Channel 4 News and The Independent initially named Izaadeen as the suspect, but several sources told BBC News that the radical Muslim cleric is still in jail and not responsible for the attack.