British police have implemented a significant policing initiative, utilizing a fleet of drones and other “comprehensive” security measures around Windsor Castle, to prepare the skies ahead of the President’s visit on Wednesday.
The Thames Valley Police force is spearheading this operation, commencing one of its largest deployments of drones and airspace closures on Tuesday, a day prior to the President’s unprecedented second state visit.
“The public will observe some police drone tactics, while others will remain out of sight,” Inspector Matthew Wilkinson stated before the event. “All these measures are implemented to ensure public safety.”
Citing “operational reasons,” the Thames Valley Police declined to answer Digital’s questions concerning how this security operation stacks up against previous major visits. However, local media reports indicate the scale of efforts for Wednesday’s visit is unparalleled since the .
According to the Thames Valley Police, the multi-agency security effort will station “resources throughout the town, encompassing air, land, and water, to maintain public safety.”
The security measures, which began on Tuesday for the state visit rehearsal, are scheduled to continue until Thursday, even though Trump is not anticipated to depart the until Friday.
Late last week, Thames Valley Police also broadened their airspace restrictions to include Chequers, the Prime Minister’s official country residence in Buckinghamshire, located approximately 27 miles north of Windsor, with these restrictions valid until Thursday evening.
Trump is scheduled to have a meeting with British on Thursday.
In a statement, the police force explained, “These restrictions cover all aircraft, including drones, and are intended to facilitate the secure execution of the visit while reducing inconvenience to the local populace.”
On Monday, officials from Thames Valley Police verified that their Firearms Unit had been “dispatched to Windsor as part of the force’s extensive security operation.”
The police force also confirmed that a Specialist Search Unit was deployed to the area over the weekend, noting this is standard protocol before any significant event.
Police Search Advisor, Sergeant Amber Timmis, stated, “We will conduct thorough searches to ensure everything is secure before the event commences,” adding that the force frequently operates “behind the scenes” to secure locations.
He further commented, “While these searches are routine, their importance is paramount, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as our security operation proceeds.”
Additionally, a mounted police unit will patrol the vicinity for the duration of the three-day security event.
While these measures are stated to be standard, they coincide with heightened U.S. security worries regarding political violence, spurred by recent attacks such as the fatal shooting of conservative commentator and co-founder of Turning Point USA, , 31, in Utah less than a week prior.
His demise marks the most recent in a series of violent incidents targeting political figures over the past year, following the targeting of two Democratic Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses in June, including state Representative , who were fatally shot.
Their killings occurred after an April arson attack on the residence of Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, which was struck with Molotov cocktails as he and his family were asleep.
Last year, Trump also endured two assassination attempts during his campaign, one of which was a shooting incident where his ear sustained a bullet injury.
Wilkinson noted that despite the U.K. having considerably lower rates of gun violence than the U.S., these elevated security measures are “standard” for “high-profile visits and are intended to safeguard all participants, including the general public.”