The distressing scenes witnessed in Washington and a city under lockdown will be a grave concern for those planning the King and Queen's upcoming visit to the United States.
Chaos at White House Event
Hundreds of police officers descended on the capital from all directions last night, as the already huge security operation at the Hilton hotel in the capital went into overdrive. Already in Washington ahead of the royals’ arrival, I was just a mile away with Mirror photographer Ian Vogler walking back from dinner when the chaos erupted.
Police sirens blasted and cars screeched around the corner, clearly signifying a serious incident was unfolding. Just moments before, at 8.36pm, a lone man armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives breached a checkpoint in the hotel lobby and sprinted toward the ballroom where the glittering event attended by the US President, the First Lady, Vice President and several members of the cabinet, as well as hundreds of political journalists, was about to begin.
Security Breach Raises Questions
A colleague who was trapped inside the hotel texted me within minutes to relay the chaos of the unfolding situation as the Secret Service personnel stormed the event and rushed the President and his top team out of harm's way. The assailant was brought down and taken into custody after firing off several shots, including at one agent who was saved by his bullet proof vest.
President Trump’s willingness at first to continue with the planned evening, despite yet another clear threat to his life, speaks to the nature of how some Americans view gun violence as a way of life. But serious questions will have to be asked as to how a heavily armed attacker could have breached security at such a high profile event.
Impact on Royal Visit
Security was already of paramount importance for the King and Queen’s visit to the US and will no doubt be completely reviewed in light of the terrifying situation last night. Buckingham Palace and royal protection teams will be seeking assurances that a watertight operation will be in place ahead of the royal visit, something that appears to not be guaranteed at any stage in a country with such shocking gun violence statistics.
Royal sources said the King and Queen has reached out privately to The President and First Lady to express their sympathies with all those affected on the night and their gratitude to the security services who prevented further injury.
The State Visit has been hit with controversy for a number of reasons, further to the decision by the British government asking the King and Queen to travel to the US, amid Trump's war against Iran and continued brutal comments aimed at the Prime Minister for not joining in the conflict. Yet concerns over the King and Queen’s safety will now be of paramount importance, adding another layer of stress to this already high profile occasion.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "His Majesty is being kept fully informed of developments and is greatly relieved to hear that the President, First Lady and all guests have been unharmed. As you would expect, a number of discussions will be taking place throughout the day to discuss with US colleagues and our respective teams to what degree the events of Saturday evening may or may not impact on the operational planning for the Visit."
