It is safe to attend Blackpool Air Show - We will not stand by if disorder begins

More than 300,000 visitors are expected to descend on Blackpool this weekend for the annual Air Show.

But as the two-day event draws closer and with rumours of disorder growing, people have been asking if it is safe to attend the event.

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There were ugly scenes when a mob of around 1,000 anti-immigration protesters - many from outside of town - brought chaos to the Promenade and town centre at the weekend.

Violence broke out and 20 people were arrested, marring Blackpool’s image as a fun and friendly day out for families.

In the days following the riot, people from across the UK have taken to local Facebook pages to ask whether Blackpool is still a safe place for visitors.

The answer is a big ‘YES’ from Blackpool Council whose leader, Cllr Lynn Williams, is eager to reassure visitors that Blackpool is “safe, welcoming and inclusive”.

ACC Phil Davies, of Lancashire Police said ‘We will not stand by if disorder begins, or vandalism takes place’.

Appalled by last weekend’s violence, Cllr Williams said the incidents witnessed last weekend “are not a reflection of what we stand for”.

Lancashire Police has also calmed fears of further protests and riots during this weekend’s Air Show, with the force saying it will have “the right level of resources on duty to respond to any incidents safely and robustly”.

Lancashire Police says it is prepared for ‘possible disruption’, but didn’t say whether any large-scale protests are expected. The force is urging anyone with information to get in touch.

A highly visible police presence will be in town for the annual Air Show and we can expect to see the police dog unit and armed officers on ‘reassurance patrols’ throughout the day.

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “We pride ourselves on being an inclusive resort that offers a safe and welcoming environment for our visitors.

“The incidents witnessed last weekend are not a reflection of what we stand for. The trouble was confined to isolated areas and did not impact on the thousands of people who were in the resort enjoying the beach and attractions. By the following day, it was very much business as usual.

“As is always the case, there will be a significant police presence at the Air Show throughout the weekend to ensure that our visitors can enjoy what is a fantastic free event.”

Huge police presence planned for weekend

ACC Phil Davies, of Lancashire Police issued a warning to potential rioters.

He said: “We know the past few days and weeks have left some people in our communities feeling concerned and vulnerable. We know others are worried about further protests and disruption.

“As the police, it is our responsibility to protect you and keep you safe. We do this by working very much in partnership with other public services.

“We want to let you know, ahead of this week, what we are doing and be very clear to those in our communities, we will support you and as always, ensure the safety of the public.

“We continue to have a robust policing response in place to tackle possible disorder.

“We are monitoring information at a local and national level around possible disruption, enabling us to have the right level of resources on duty to respond to any incidents safely and robustly in Lancashire, where required to do so. Additional officers have been identified and are on standby if required.

“We will not stand by if disorder begins, or vandalism takes place. Arrests will be made either immediately or retrospectively.

“To those seeking to commit these offences, let this be a message to you: we will identify you, we will find you, and we will bring you to justice.

“We continue to work with communities and partners to ensure we are ready to respond to any concerns or incidents and have been grateful for the public’s support.

“We would encourage people to go about their business as normal. We continue to police Lancashire as usual and as always, the priority is public safety.

“We have seen lots of information circulating online about possible events in Lancashire that haven’t come to anything, so please think twice about what you read, share and believe from online sources. There are a lot of motivations for why people may be sharing information so be critical and if in doubt, look to trusted voices such as the police and your community leaders.

“Police and communities are stronger together. We need the good people of Lancashire to keep us informed.

“If anyone has any information regarding pre-planned disorder or criminality, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”