Any large public event is bound to attract concerns over crowd control, and the recent royal wedding was no exception. Approximately 600,000 spectators descended upon London for William and Kate’s big day, meaning it was vital that the local council and public services prepared properly in order to keep the visiting 
crowds safe.
The Metropolitan Police were primarily concerned about protestors or spectators armed with the intention of causing unrest as well as the potential risk of a terrorist threat. Due to this, 5,000 police officers were in attendance on the big day in order to keep the public in check while also keeping watch for any signs of brewing trouble or terrorist activity.
However, despite widespread concern about the possible threats, the day turned out to be a huge success, with a dress more stunning that most could have imagined and a massive 22.8 million people tuning in to watch the ceremony from the comfort of their home. But what was it that needed to have happened to ensure a calm and joyous day for all involved? And how can those steps which made such a success of the day get carried into future events?
It’s important to remember that it was not just the spectators that were at risk of harm; those invited to the wedding itself were prime targets for civil unrest, protestors and terrorist activity. Possible ways in which the police could try to control and prevent the manifestation of such situations was by using crowd control solutions such as stanchions or the retractable barrier. If manned correctly, the retractable barrier can be utilised to prevent uninvited spectators from entering particular areas, while also allowing those with permission easy access to the venue grounds.
However spectators were at risk too, particularly in regards to the potential for crowds to become aggravated posing a huge danger to those trapped within. Because of this spectators should have been sure to take steps to look after themselves, rather than depend entirely on official crowd control measures.
Ensuring not to have any valuables on display or in prime pickpocketing locations (such as a back pocket) was a vital step to take in preventing people from becoming a victim of theft.
Savvy spectators should also have avoided getting too far into the thick of the crowds (if at all possible) and to find a location where the density of the crowd is thinner, or further from the action. This will have allowed for a quicker and safer escape route should the most unfortunate have happened and the festivities had descended into chaos.
In addition, should danger or panic have actually occurred, it would have been vital for spectators to remain as calm as possible. Dangerous crowds usually only occur when those within the crowd are panicked; should everyone stay calm then in most situations few injuries should occur. Remember that should a panic or other risky event transpire in the future, there is little you can do should you be stood within the thick of the action – the best thing you can do is to stay calm.
As a nation we should be proud of ourselves for executing such a triumphant day, while also thanking the Metropolitan Police for their successful employment of crowd control methods such as the crowd barrier, as well as stanchions and the retractable barrier. The invited crowd to the wedding was close to 2000, with 100 members of the public also in attendance. Due to this, ensuring that the wedding guests themselves were properly managed using measures such as stanchions and the retractable barrier ensured that no chaos broke out within, which could have easily spread to the viewing spectators outside of Westminster Abbey.
This article was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of Lawrence Metal. Amy writes on a variety of subjects including crowd control measures such as stanchions and the retractable barrier.