Met Police holds mock terror drill at Brentford FC

Image: Brentford Stadium

Met Police boss says public should not to be overly concerned after drill

The Metropolitan Police carried out a mock terror attack exercise at Brentford FC’s Gtech Community Stadium, aiming to ensure that officers and other emergency services are prepared for such incidents.

The simulation, which took place on the anniversary of the tragic 2019 attack at Fishmongers’ Hall, near London Bridge, involved police, stadium staff, and various agencies testing their response to a potential terror threat. The Fishmongers’ Hall attack, which claimed the lives of Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones, was carried out by convicted terrorist Usman Khan.

BBC London was granted exclusive access to the training event, where participants responded to a simulated terror attack at the football ground and nearby station. One of the scenarios involved a man armed with a knife and explosives.

Dave Gregg, Head of Operations at Brentford FC, told the BBC:

“I’ve got an experienced team here but the scenarios that we have picked for today will test them beyond a normal table top scenario. So, I’m confident that they will deal with each of the incidents and I’m confident that they will deal with them efficiently and effectively.”

While stressing that London is well-equipped to respond to terror attacks, Det Ch Supt Wright reassured the public not to be overly concerned.

“I need everyone to be vigilant and report anything out of place, but they should be reassured that when we have to do this for real, it’s not the first time we’ve done it,” he said.

He also noted that Millwall FC had hosted a similar exercise last month, which had provided valuable insights into improving the response to such situations.

Dave Gregg, Brentford’s Head of Operations and Facilities, said the exercise pushed staff beyond the usual scenarios.

“We test out processes on a regular basis, and while you can’t be 100% sure, I am confident that we are as prepared as we can be for any eventuality,” he added.