May Day Riots: Protecting Staff and Buildings

Peter Power of Visor Consultants provides details and suggestions to help employers protect staff and buildings in case the protestors on 1 May once again become violent in Central London.

Background

We know from previous years that it is difficult to predict how many demonstrators intend stimulating violence, and how successful they will be. The Police will once again be doing their best to reduce disorder by making their operation an intelligence-led process, and there will be more than 2,000 extra officers on the street.

The aim of the protestors is likely to be to stretch police resources and to disrupt:

- Transport
- Retail
- Commerce
- Some Government Departments.

Protestor websites generally reflect allegations of US / UK 'imperialism' in the Middle East. The protestor agenda is believed to be as follows:

- Class War Picket - Stratford, am.
- Old Bond Street W1(anti fur trade) - 10.30 am
- Critical Mass cycle ride - South Bank 11 am
- TUC March to Trafalgar Square - 12 noon
- Shell HQ - Strand 4pm
- Channel 4 TV - Westminster 9 pm

Practical Advice

With regards your own staff, operations and buildings, we have added a bit more to the usual police advice:

- Establish a Coordinator / Crisis leader and small Crisis Team for this day.

- Advise that staff stay in and perhaps bring lunch. Have TV / Radio on?

- Suggest no key visitors or deliveries arranged that day.

- If you do not have a PA system? - Work out alternatives with landlord.

- Beware of false fire alarms.

- If caught out in the street - avoid areas between police and protestors.

- Double check all e-mails for viruses around this time (cyber terrorism).

- Brief staff before 1 May not to antagonise protestors on the street - or inside.

- Work out what you would do if invasion occurs.

- Remove valuable paintings, sculptures, and so on.

- Work out what you would do if evacuated.

- Double check all is locked up the night before.

- Increase the sense of vigilance in security and all other staff.

- Secure vulnerable rear doors / loading bay(s).

- Do not dress like a city type nor like an "anarcho-syndicalist" hippie.

- Do not carry a lap top or if you have to put it in a sports bag.

- Carry some time expired cards in your wallet and keep the real ones elsewhere.

- Do not wear a giveaway item - umbrella/ Rolex/ Gucci bag/ and so on.

Visor Consultants is running a few short workshops and walk-through tests on what might happen this Mayday based on our own experience and recent briefings given at New Scotland Yard. The complete workshop only takes an hour or so to run and is aimed at rapidly preparing any organisation to prepare, respond and recover from any incident. Please call (020) 7917 6026 for information - quote reference 'workplacelaw'.
This document is for general guidance and research purposes only, and does not purport to give professional advice. Please check the date at the top of the article; the Workplace Law Network retains historic articles for general research.