Be Aware of the Terror Risks During the Coronation
Joe Biden’s presidential trip to Northern Ireland has placed a spotlight on the nation’s political instability. The situation is on the brink of potentially boiling over, with the New IRA taking responsibility for recent pipe bombs as well as a plot to upstage the Biden visit with a terror attack.
To understand the risk, we must look back 25 years, to when the Good Friday Agreement was signed. Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern’s historic deal brought an end to the Troubles, 30 years of Northern Irish conflict.
From the late 1960s, armed groups from both sides, such as the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), carried out bombings and shootings. The Troubles lasted almost 30 years and cost the lives of more than 3,500 people.
The New IRA is the continuation of the IRA paramilitary group which disbanded nearly two decades ago. The New IRA claimed responsibility for the attempted murder of Senior police officer John Caldwell, shot at a sports complex in County Tyrone.
Illegal parades over Easter were also arranged, clearly a dangerous sentiment exists in pockets, and the UK’s biggest patriotic event in living history is just on the horizon.
The Coronation and Terrorism
No doubt the Coronation itself will have a vast police operation in place. On Saturday 6th May, as well as the whole weekend, London will have a greatly increased police presence. And yet if we are to take Biden’s presidential visit as an example of the New IRA’s intentions; it is the general public, not the attendees, who are at the greatest risk.
If the New IRA are to make a statement and try to dominate news of the coronation, then an attack may only need to take place on the nation’s soil, not necessarily in London. The UK’s terror alert level is substantial, with Northern Irelands raised preceding the visit to severe – meaning a terror attack is highly likely. Therefore, venue owners who are hosting coronation events with large numbers of people need to be alert and aware of the dangers.
How Clubs can combat Coronation Terrorism?
- Discussing actions with neighbouring businesses.
- Work together to make an action plan
- Identify practicable protective measures such a bollards and spikes
- Have CCTV and Surveillance in place
- Have a First Aid kit at your venue
Terrorism is an evolving threat. This means risks are dynamic and unpredictable. Some past examples are gun attacks, bombs, bomb threats, knife crime, vehicle rampage as well as chemical and biological attacks. Cyber terrorism and drones are also a possible source. Each can cause significant harm and disruption.
Your club doesn’t necessarily have to be the target of an attack, to suffer the consequences of it. Incidents are no longer contained to major cities, and threats have appeared across the country from the very smallest of towns.
If streets are closed, or the public are advised to avoid affected locations, that could mean your staff, suppliers or customers can’t get to you. And if they can’t get to you, that means you’re not trading. Terror may also put people off gathering, a key example being the Borough Market attacks of 2017. With the investigations shutting down the area, physically intact organisations couldn’t trade.
Don’t be left out of pocket due to a terror attack.
What is Terror Insurance?
Traditional club insurance often only covers instances of material damage to your premises. Terror insurance goes that extra step. Think about extensions to your existing insurance policies that will take care of things, should the worst happen.
- Suppliers & Customers – If there is damage to your suppliers or customers premises, you’ll be protected against any interruption this causes to your business.
- Public Utilities – This will protect you against any interruption caused as a result of damage to a gas, water, electricity or telecoms provider.
- Denial of Access – When there has been damage in the vicinity of your premises that prevents access, this will protect the interruption, usually within a 1 mile radius.
- Specified or notifiable diseases – If the area around your business is affected by certain diseases, you’ll be protected (such as a terrorist deploying a disease or pathogen).
- Loss of attraction – Designed to protect your against interruption due to reduced footfall, attractiveness or custom due to damage within the vicinity of your business.
If you think you could have better protection against terrorism, talk to our team. Club Insure will be able to look through your existing insurance and tell you where you could get cover enhancements to make sure you’re protected against terrorism.