ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how the policing of political protest fits into the wider picture of the policing of public order, including the policing of ceremonial events and celebrations, specifically the policing of New Year’s Eve in Trafalgar Square. The three types are defined by the principal preoccupation of the police: security from terrorist attack was the abiding concern of ceremonials; public safety was the top priority for New Year’s Eve celebrations in Trafalgar Square; and the maintenance of order was the major concern of political protest. In terms of the sheer scale of any disaster that might confront the police, undoubtedly the worst would be a terrorist attack on a royal ceremonial. If royal ceremonials can be regarded as a “nice day out”, New Year’s Eve in Trafalgar Square was viewed with something approaching unmitigated horror. The policing of demonstrations and marches can now be considered in its public order context.
