The terrorist threat level in the United Kingdom has recently been raised to Severe, meaning that there is high likelihood of a terrorist attack in the immediate future. Since the British Government initiated the launch of air missions against the Islamic State in Syria, living in London feels a lot like living in the centre of a massive red bullseye. The dart is set for launch any day now and while there’s no solid idea about where it will land, we can be certain that it will at least connect with the board somewhere. City based employers have instructed their internal communications teams to ask staff to remain vigilant for any unusual activity relating to the workplace. They are advised to wear their security lanyards at all times, point out any suspicious behaviours they may encounter in others, say their prayers and to brace for impact. There are further recommendations to avoid thinking about the very notion of a terrifying and inevitable catastrophe, and citizens are asked to refrain from discussing the matter with colleagues.
In the event that such measures be deemed inadequate to those urban dwellers of an irredeemably sensitive disposition. Citizens are to be notified by letter from local councils that they are required to bind their affairs to one of three options:
- Handover all relevant or potentially incriminating personal information to the security services.
Retreat to more rural areas.
Continue to live in the metropolis on the proviso that this existence be defined by a perpetual state of fear and anxiety.
According to data from 2011, the chances of an individual being personally involved in a terrorist attack are roughly 1 in 20 million – the likelihood of you drowning in a bathtub is around 1 in 800,000. Nevertheless, an attack is almost certainly coming to the city of London. However, as long as you stay away from public transport, areas where large groups of people are known to congregate, bright colours, the sky, and the outdoors altogether, then you should be able to avoid harm.
The British Press (that bastion of truth and levelheadedness), eager to avoid any outbreak of panic or paranoia, have fostered a culture of calm by reminding the British public that the UK is the single most electronically surveilled country in the world. As long as you have nothing to hide, they advise, then you should have nothing to fear.
In the highly unlikely – but still entirely possible, -event that you are caught in a terrorist attack, the National Counter Terrorism Policing Security Offices instruct you to attempt an escape through the safest route. Should this not be rendered impossible, you are advised to hide. Furthermore, The Mirror newspaper has asked its readers’ to send in their own suggestions for surviving an attack.
With that, I offer my own word of advice; citizens, remain vigilant, watch your neighbours, stay indoors, and brace for impact.
Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia.
I saw a graph the other day that Obama used showing the number of people killed in terrorist attacks in the US as opposed to the number killed by Americans rampaging with that symbol of freedom, the gun. No prizes for guessing which bar was the taller. Here in Australia the previous PM, now thankfully dispatched, liked nothing better than posing with bemedalled army officers against a background of Aus flags to make speeches about Daesh “coming after us”. There was a joke that the security alert could be gauged by the number of flags. Of course we have to be vigilant, but it is really disgusting to see mileage being made out of this by the shockjock media and by certain politicians. It’s also been noted here that we have one or two woman killed every week by domestic violence, and children killed as well, but that’s not an issue of the same magnitude apparently.
That’s so interesting! Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
Made it to Ireland mid December with only the rain to dodge. No interested in dodging bullets in London, shall stay this side of the Pond for the time being.
Have a great day, The Rooster
Do the police really need to tell us to escape if possible, if not hide? Isn’t this common sense. I am old enough to remember the I.R.A. bombs of the seventies, and being ordered from a train because of an alert and sent to stand by a cargo cage full of parcels. Needless to stay, since many bombs and explosive letters had been sent by post we didn’t feel safe!
That’s what I was thinking. There was a Blitz in the 40s, IRA explosions in the 70s and 80s, gas-attacks on the tube in the 90s. Peace breaks out every now and then. Follow your natural instincts and look out for each other.
Man this is insane! I am learning so much through your blog that they do not necessarily show us on the news. Thanks for sharing!
Oh wow, I didn’t realize things were so intense in London right now. Thanks for writing about these things—I really appreciate having my worldview broadened
Reblogged this on Still Another Photoblog.
Be afraid. Be very afraid. While your attention is thus diverted, . . .
Exactly!
Brilliant. Well written!
This reminds me of how it was like soon after 9/11. It was freakin ridiculous and the manipulation of fear is still high in this country. They just use any tragic circumstance as means to instill fear. That’s why I try not to follow the mainstream media. It’s kind of hard nowadays because I am on social media often. I may have to limit time on there too. It’s probably healthier for the psyche.
Oh and I love the sarcasm in this part: “Nevertheless, an attack is almost certainly coming to the city of London, but as long as you stay away from public transport, areas where large groups of people are known to congregate, bright colours, the sky, and outdoors altogether, then you should be able to avoid harm. “
I sincerely appreciate the tone of your writing. It echoes my own sentiments about this culture of fear.
I can’t imagine what it’s like to live in London or any major european city right now. I don’t even live in a major US city. I feel a similar way when we do “Lock Down Drills” in our school and I can be really shaken up after school shootings. It’s not the same of feeling that pressure where ever you go. I can see the impact of Orwell in your piece and I don’t see how anyone could not help but feel that way. Here is to a new year bringing sanity and peace to our world!
Well said
I said this as soon as the attacks in Paris happened (which I looked into in great detail, more than meets the eye) it won’t be long for London. I moved out 13 years ago, when I go back sometimes the tube scares me to death and I used to do it everyday. Whenever some one gets on with a backpack you can almost taste the change of environment inside that metal box.
“If you see something—say something!”
I saw your post, and I’m saying – “Well done, sir. Love the edge…in your writing and on stage with U2.”
I’ll grab my echo pedal
I totally agree with you.
Looking forward to reading more of your writing!
Strangely, I’ve found myself getting weirdly used to it. My mind is part terrified of instant death by exploding evil, part wondering what to have for dinner, part feeling bad about all the bad things, part waiting for the next episode of Castle. I flit back and forth between London and the North and all you really notice is people are worrying. And worrying is useless and you feel useless and the Government wants you to feel useless so that they make themselves look useful. And you go along with it…because you feel useless and the new Castle episode wasn’t that good anyway. *Sigh* Onto next week.
There’s nothing quite like good old British worry
In the US we have much more to fear from ourselves than from terrorists, even though that is certainly a threat nowadays too. The really scary thing are those unhappy, lonely, easily influenced people who are looking to “belong” that ISIS and Al Quada are scooping up. You don’t have to be a trained “member”, you can just be a guy with a gun who walks into a store or cafe, starts shooting, and spreads terror by taking away our safe places. Then says they did it on behalf of those organizations.
Don’t let fear take away your safe places. It’s still very high odds that anything will happen.
I think you have more chance of falling down the stairs while climbing into a sock.