London's Winter Wonderland crowds 'present a target'
Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 1:54 pmAfter Berlin attack on a Christmas market, Winter Wonderland crowds being herded in their hundreds into packed pens at bag checks and police step up armed patrols around UK 
Tight security is in place around the Hyde Park Christmas market and fair
But visitors have expressed concerns over long waits for security bag checks
Pictures show long queues of hundreds of people crowding to get in
Met Police are reviewing security at London events with SAS officers on streets
More than 2.5million people are expected to visit this year - 60,000-a-day
Visitors to London's Winter Wonderland have raised terror fears over the huge, penned-in crowds queuing to get into the attraction.
After the attack on a similar attraction in Germany yesterday, revellers fear the way in which the large numbers of people are funneled into a small, enclosed area before they get to security makes them a target.
A terror expert has warned crowds waiting for security checks can 'present a target' if not properly spread out or dispersed.
One visitor told MailOnline that those arriving at the attraction every afternoon and evening were 'herded through a huge pen' as they waited to be let in.
She feared the queues ahead of security checks could themselves become a target, adding: 'You just feel like a sitting duck for terrorists'.
It comes as the Met Police announced it is reviewing security arrangements around London in the wake of the Berlin atrocity, saying an attack from 'a range of threats' remains 'highly likely'.
The annual Winter Wonderland event in Hyde Park draws in millions of visitors from around the world to its fairground rides, Christmas markets and food stalls. More than 2.5million people visited the event last year.
Visitors without tickets have to queue in a channel which forms before security checks at two main entrances at peak times.
Russ Armstrong, the managing director of risk management company Castor Vali and former Royal Marines Commando, said crowds before security checks can become a target if not properly managed.
Commenting on the entrance issue, Mr Armstrong told MailOnline: 'This is a similar problem to that faced by airports over where do you put the security checks. If you put them somewhere which is too public then those people who are waiting there present a target.'
He said a possible solution would be increasing the number of entrances so that fewer people were at each one and they were more spread out.
PLEASE follow link below for FULL Article - Photos - Videos:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... rland.html
Tight security is in place around the Hyde Park Christmas market and fair
But visitors have expressed concerns over long waits for security bag checks
Pictures show long queues of hundreds of people crowding to get in
Met Police are reviewing security at London events with SAS officers on streets
More than 2.5million people are expected to visit this year - 60,000-a-day
Visitors to London's Winter Wonderland have raised terror fears over the huge, penned-in crowds queuing to get into the attraction.
After the attack on a similar attraction in Germany yesterday, revellers fear the way in which the large numbers of people are funneled into a small, enclosed area before they get to security makes them a target.
A terror expert has warned crowds waiting for security checks can 'present a target' if not properly spread out or dispersed.
One visitor told MailOnline that those arriving at the attraction every afternoon and evening were 'herded through a huge pen' as they waited to be let in.
She feared the queues ahead of security checks could themselves become a target, adding: 'You just feel like a sitting duck for terrorists'.
It comes as the Met Police announced it is reviewing security arrangements around London in the wake of the Berlin atrocity, saying an attack from 'a range of threats' remains 'highly likely'.
The annual Winter Wonderland event in Hyde Park draws in millions of visitors from around the world to its fairground rides, Christmas markets and food stalls. More than 2.5million people visited the event last year.
Visitors without tickets have to queue in a channel which forms before security checks at two main entrances at peak times.
Russ Armstrong, the managing director of risk management company Castor Vali and former Royal Marines Commando, said crowds before security checks can become a target if not properly managed.
Commenting on the entrance issue, Mr Armstrong told MailOnline: 'This is a similar problem to that faced by airports over where do you put the security checks. If you put them somewhere which is too public then those people who are waiting there present a target.'
He said a possible solution would be increasing the number of entrances so that fewer people were at each one and they were more spread out.
PLEASE follow link below for FULL Article - Photos - Videos:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... rland.html