Water cannon could be on London streets within 18 months
Water Cannon could be on the streets of London within 18 months, it emerged today as Boris Johnson described them as a “nuclear deterrent” against rioters.
Officially, the use of water cannon is still being considered by the Home Office.
However, correspondence seen by this blog, reveals that the Metropolitan Police and the Home Office are actively seeking to acquire the weapons as soon as possible.
According to a letter from Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the police are even seeking to hire the machines from abroad in order to speed up the process.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson today backed the decision to acquire water cannon.
He told the London Assembly:
“I think there might be circumstances where the threat or even use of water cannon might be valuable. I think it is vanishingly unlikely that we would actually deploy them but to have that option is valuable just as it is vanishingly unlikely that we will face a nuclear attack from North Korea, but we might as well have the ability.
Johnson was previously opposed to the use of water cannon, saying that they would be a restriction on free speech and lead to an “arms race” with protesters.
However, his new Policing Deputy Stephen Greenhalgh is in favour of their use, and has told the police that they are a “very effective” tool against protesters.
Last week it emerged that Metropolitan Police officers are already being trained on the use of water cannon in Hampshire.
The Home Office has final say over the licensing of water cannon in the UK. However, Johnson today insisted that that he would also have to sanction their use.
“I would be very surprised. I could tell you categorically that I cannot believe for one second that any commissioner of the Met would dream of using water cannon on the streets of London without having the sanction of the Mayor. I think there is not the smallest chance of any a water cannon being used on the streets of London without it being sanctioned by this place. That is completely inconceivable.”
Labour today accused the Mayor of allowing the police to “drift away from policing by consent.”
Leader of the Labour Group on the London Assembly Len Duvall AM said:
“We all know Boris’s eye is wandering to his next job, but the erosion of policing by consent must not be snuck through by securocrats, just because Boris can’t be bothered to pay attention to what’s happening on his watch. It is unclear whether Boris or the Home Secretary has the final say if water cannon are to be deployed. This situation must be clarified and the public must be allowed a say on their potential use.”
Green Party London Assembly Member Jenny Jones today criticised the Mayor for allowing millions to be spent on water cannon when the Mayor did not intend for them to be used:
bq.“It seems ludicrous that the Mayor is willing to pay for three water cannon, each costing £1.3m, and then the training of thousands of officers and yet he does not seem willing to use the weapon. We know the Met wants water cannon and is willing to use it. The public need to know when and in what circumstances the Mayor would agree.”
A spokesperson for the police said that discussions over the deployment of water cannon are still ongoing.
22 May 2013
22 May 2013
INTERVIEW: Lady Lazarus
Resurrection woman Melissa Ann Sweat on inner revelations, the importance of ‘me time’ and rocking out to Youth Lagoon.
20 May 2013
One Minute With TIGERMONKEY - London Gansgta Nerdcore.
Madeleine Dunbar & Guy Katsav talk about their fabulous Tigermonkey.
What is Tigermonkey?
Tigermonkey is a burning ball of scandalous and bass heavy energy ready to be spread with love and sexiness across the universe.
What’s the strangest gig you’ve ever had?
Guy – We were booked to play a massive venue and last minute Madeleine just didn’t show up so I decided to take my guitar and improvise an acoustic set. I somehow thought it would be a good idea to sing to people in the audience intensely, wearing my underpants. People started leaving and booed me off. Luckily I woke up crying because it was only bad dream. We’re smashing it live!!!
What lyrics are you proudest of?
We’re proudest of the use of the letter D. You gonna have to listen to our song OCD to understand.
What’s the secret to writing a great song?
Madeleine – Tea
Guy – Handcuffs for Madeleine to keep her in one place
What sounds are you listening to right now?
Madeleine – I’m on a reggae tip. Buju Banton and Eek-a-mouse
Guy- right now I think I can hear an ambulance….
What’s the Tigermonkey rider?
Madeleine- dark rum and transformer snacks
Guy- pepto-bismole
Have you ever met a hero of yours? What was it like?
Madeleine- Ron jeremy – sexy
Guy- Kirsty Allsop from Location Location. Amazing! She’s from telly.
What’s the most unbelievable thing that’s ever happened to you?
Madeleine- once I left the tea over an hour and when I came back it was still hot!!
Guy- I can’t top that…
What do you love (and hate) most about London?
Madeleine- I love the people and I hate the people.
Guy- I can’t top that.
What can we expect from Tigermonkey and where can we see you soon?
Expect a lot of noise. Come see us live in Surya kings cross on the 17.5 or Hoxton b&k on the 27.5
More TIGERMONKEY
Article image copyright Gavin Mecaniques.
16 May 2013
Boris Johnson breaks promise for 1000 more police officers
Boris Johnson has broken his promise to put “1000 more police on the beat” new figures have revealed.
The Mayor promised to “[make] our streets and homes safer with 1000 more police on the beat” as part of his nine point plan for London.
The pledge was sent to every household in London, last year.
However, the latest Metropolitan Police figures show that officer numbers have actually fallen by over 1500 since his election last May.
Overall, police officer numbers have been cut by around 3000 since 2010.
Johnson has already admitted that police officers will not increase by 1000 by the end of his term
Last year he told the Assembly that interpreting his promise for “1000 more police on the beat” as a promise for 1000 more police on the beat was a “wilful misconstruction.”
Labour’s London Assembly Police and Crime spokesperson, Joanne McCartney said today: “These latest figures are deeply concerning. Not only have we lost nearly 3,000 police officers in London since May 2010, but the vast majority – 2,700 – have been lost from borough police teams. Hollowing out the frontline like this cannot continue. This week we learned that the government and Mayor are considering buying water cannons to use on our streets. It looks like the Met are under real strain, without enough police officers.”
Earlier this week City Hall tried to scotch reports that the Met Police had ordered two new water cannon.
The police have since been pictured training with the machines in Hampshire.
15 May 2013
Lies the London Underground tells you
Amusing gents Tom Scott and Matt Parker take a look at some of the Tube’s little white lies.
15 May 2013
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15 May 2013
Takako Minekawa & Dustin Wong - Party on a Floating Cake
Virtuoso guitarist teams up with elusive Japanese artist for collaborative project.
15 May 2013
Rough Days for Diamond Trade - Doubtful Mind
Rough Days For Diamond Trade “Doubtful Mind” from LOOKING FORWARD on Vimeo.
Berlin-based Dane Frederik Sølberg plays his first UK shows this week
13 May 2013
Boris Johnson used to oppose the use of water cannon. What's changed?
London’s Police and Crime Commissioner Boris Johnson refused to comment today following reports that the Met have requested water cannon to use against protesters.
Three years ago he he opposed their use on principle, saying that:
“It is certainly my view -that we are not instinctively in favour of ratcheting up the panoply of implements of crowd control in this city. This is a free city which has a great tradition of free speech. We do not want to see any kind of arms race with protestors. At the moment there are no plans to go, for instance, for water cannon.”
He made similar comments again to Parliament following the London riots.
His former Policing Deputy Kit Malthouse was also against their use, telling the London Assembly last year that “the truth is water cannon does not stop a riot.”
Malthouse also questioned the practicality of using such “great lumbering” machines to deal with fast moving protests in London.
Water cannon has caused serious injury to protestors in the past. In 2010 66-year-old Dietrich Wagner was blinded by water cannon at a protest in Germany.
So what has changed? If Boris thought that water cannon was too much of a threat to free speech before, why doesn’t he think the same now?
I’ve asked City Hall whether Boris now supports the use of water cannon and if so why. So far I’ve had no response.
Update: A spokesperson for the Mayor today declined to say whether Boris still opposes the use of water cannon.
They instead pointed us toward the following statement from the Metropolitan Police:
“In the MPS report ’4 Days in August’ published in March 2012 the MPS stated that water cannons would be a valuable option in rare situations. Since the publication of the report we have remained in discussion with the Home Office on its position on licensing and the funding of cannon as a national asset.”
13 May 2013
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