Felixstowe will be hosting the largest armed forces weekend event in the region and in light of the recent terror attacks, there will be extra police officers on duty in the area during this period. It’s expected that the seaside town will be hosting tens of thousands of people during the two-day event which will include live music, history re-enactments, fireworks, an air display and other forms of entertainment. The June 24th and 25th celebrations will be to celebrate the people in the RAF, Army and Navy including those who’ve served in the past.
According to the Suffolk police, there haven’t been any specific threats made with regard to the event but there will be hi-vis police patrolling the area along with officers from the special branch to guarantee that there’s proper security at the event which is expected to bring out a large number of military personnel and families. Suffolk Constabulary’s specialist officer has been conducting an in-depth analysis of various locations and events within the county and also working with officers in the various forces in light of the attacks that were carried out in London and Manchester.
Regarding the Armed Forces Weekend at Felixstowe, South East Locality’s Inspector Andy Pursehouse confirmed that risk and threat assessment had been carried out but there hadn’t been any intelligence suggesting there was going to be a problem. He stated that they were pleased that everything was in place but would also be monitoring the situation daily and police activity around the event would be carried out appropriately. He added that there will be officers working covertly in addition to the hi-vis officers who will be patrolling in daytime and evening. He added that they did not want the public to panic and wanted them to be aware of the officer’s presence.
The Felixstowe event will not just be marking the Armed Forces Weekend but also the 350th anniversary of the Dutch attack on Landguard Fort. This was the last attempted invasion of England by the sea to be opposed. The Sealed Knot and the English Civil War Society will be carrying out a re-enactment of the battle and there will be 200 re-enactors present. The event will come with cannons, swords and muskets. Paul Grant, the organiser, stated that the Suffolk Armed Forces Weekend is an event no one will want to miss.