President Trump will be in Britain on Monday for a state visit. Staying through to Wednesday, Trump will meet Queen Elizabeth II and attend D-Day commemorations as well as a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. But the trip is also likely to see its fair share of low-level disruption.
While President Trump will be well-protected by the Secret Service and British security services, expansive protests are planned. These include events outside Buckingham Palace during the Monday evening banquet, outside Downing Street during Trump’s meeting with Theresa May on Tuesday, and in the coastal town of Portsmouth during memorials for the D-Day landings on Wednesday. While the protests planned appear to be harmless, security concerns will abide.
Large protests always raise concerns about terrorists infiltrating the crowds for cover, so crowds will be cordoned. But while it is highly unlikely that any protesters will be able to get close to Trump, expect a lot of British police to line Trump’s motorcade routes. The British government will want to avoid an embarrassing incident such as someone throwing a milkshake on the motorcade. It is notable, for example, that presidential motorcades in Britain are normally accompanied by around three buses of unarmed police officers. Their responsibility is not to counter an attack (that falls to the Metropolitan police’s Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers acting in substitute for the U.S. Secret Service counter-assault team), but rather to detain any unarmed protesters who breach the motorcade cordon. The British penchant for theatrical protests might seem amusing, but when it comes to presidential visits, no chances are taken.
Fanatically anti-American Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn might also attempt to embarrass Trump in some way. Considering Trump’s penchant for insults, it is likely the president will come off better in such a scenario.
Put simply, expect some silliness but Trump to remain safe.
