Interesting figures from the Met Police:
- Tamil Ceasefire protests – estimated total policing cost of £12.8m
- G20 Summit – estimated total policing cost of £7.4m
- Notting Hill Carnival – estimated total policing cost of £6.6m
- Summer Climate Camp – estimated total policing cost of £2.3m
Some of those seem pretty good value for money such as the Notting Hill Carnival, bearing in mind the enjoyment so many people get from the event. Looking at some of the other costs, perhaps in future the police should offer to fund TV advertisements in return for protest not happening: could save money and make for more effective communication of protestors’ message 
8 Comments
Cost a darn sight less to police protests than it does to police the visit of the leader of a religious sect.
Surely all major political protests aim to get on the ten o’clock news? In other words, they get “advertising” (coverage) as a free bonus when they take to the streets, so I doubt there’d be much interest for your idea, Mark.
While I think the right to protest (peacefully) is a vital one, I do wonder at times why we need the police to be involved to the degree they are.
For example, why does a protest march down a street need the typically fairly large police escort?
If a group wants to march down a street, I don’t think it is anti-democratic to suggest they nominate a few stewards to keep an eye on things and reduce the police count to a couple at the front and rear to control traffic.
Just seems odd to use expensive bobbies when festival stewards are so much cheaper and can handle crowd control just as ably.
Going back a year, we can see that the Gaza protests/riots cost £3 millions. It’s surprising that the Sri Lanka protests cost four times as much, but I’d imagine the Police put in a show of strength expecting more Starbucks to be smashed-up by people on gap-years before joining PWC’s graduate training scheme, or for their horses to be mutilated and officers beaten with iron bars… fortunately for public order, no-one really cares for the Tamils.
And the Gaza events would have been repeated across different Police areas. Oop north, the Police are speaking of civil recovery against perpetual adolescents who’re demanding their attention above all other issues. That ought to focus minds.
Of course. Protests are outside and relatively contained in area, whilst a State visit will also require securing of buildings and multiple locations as well as concerns for officials the visitor may meet. Try to imagine what the cost would be for a President who intended to visit half a dozen cities, with open air speeches to tens of thousands.
I would be totally up for that. Think of all the police time as well as money it would save.
Quick Mark, on the bell to Mrs May. Sharpish!
Hmmmmmmmm…scratching the grey head, shakes the one surviving brain cell…….errr how about a free box at speakers corner…..
why does it cost so much? overtime? stop the war on drugs and all those offices could be saved and no overtime need to be spent. £6m for notting hill what crazyness
I am quite surprised at the high cost of policing the Tamil protests as opposed to the G20 incident. The Scots police probably have the right idea when they talk about recovering some of the costs from violent or vandalising protesters.