By Editor,Ryan Hooper
Copyright dailymail
A man has been arrested by police on susupicion of flying a drone over Windsor ahead of Donald Trump’s state visit this week.
The 37-year-old man is in custody after allegedly breaching temporary air restrictions brought in from today as part of the massive police safety operation required for the US President’s visit.
President Trump and his wife, Melania, are due to arrive in London late this evening, before spending the next two days being hosted by the King at Windsor Castle, and at Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s countryside residence, Chequers.
The state visit – President Trump’s second to the UK – has again required significant police resources and security measures, despite there being no public-facing engagements.
Regardless, Thames Valley Police officers have been boosted by a significant temporary influx of staff from forces across the country. Indeed it is understood non-Thames Valley Police officers will make up two-thirds of the personnel involved.
The officer leading the operation said he has ‘planned for just about every foreseeable eventuality’, which includes protest against the US President.
Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Christian Bunt said there would be a noticeably increased police presence both in Windsor and Chequers this week.
He said President Trump’s visit already meant the ‘threat level’ was ‘very high’, but that the attack on Trump-supporter Charlie Kirk at a university campus in Utah had not meant security needed to be tightened.
Measures include crowd barriers, specialist officers and temporary restrictions for aircraft and drones.
A number of protests have been planned – despite the fact the visit is taking place away from public view.
A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: ‘We respect the public’s right to peaceful protest and are committed to facilitating lawful demonstrations.
‘Our priority is to ensure public safety while minimising disruption to the wider community.’
One of the largest protests is expected to be in central London tomorrow, roughly 25 miles away from Windsor Castle where the Trumps will visit the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II and later be treated to a state banquet.
The Stop Trump Coalition also said people would line the streets of Windsor this week.
Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, campaigner Zoe Gardner said: ‘There is an enormous line between a relationship and diplomacy with the United States, and letting this toddler come here and use our country as a theme park and honouring him with a red carpet and a banquet with the King.
‘There is miles between those two positions, and what we’re doing today is shameful and humiliating for the UK.’
Thames Valley Police this afternoon confirmed what is believed to be the first arrest in relation to the visit.
A spokesman said the suspect, from Brentford, west London, was arrested at Windsor Great Park for allegedly flying a drone that breached the restricted area.
The force said: ‘This serves as a reminder that airspace restrictions are currently in place for the state visit of President of the United States of America Donald Trump, and any breaches will be dealt with robustly.’
It came as newly appointed policing minister Sarah Jones praised the legions of officers from across the country involved in the security operation.
Speaking at the Police Superintendents’ Association annual conference in Stratford today, she said: ‘Tomorrow we have the President of the United States coming to this country, and who will be there making sure he is safe and everything goes smoothly, using all the best expertise that we have, all the new technology that we have to make sure that goes as smoothly as possible.
‘Policing will always be at the heart of our national life.
