London Anticipated Terrorist Attack

London Anticipated Terrorist Attack

A terrorist attack on a city changes the way that city views its security policies and structures. After September 11, the United States stepped up security and emergency management in almost every way imaginable, but Americans probably did not suspect the attack would change the way London viewed their protection of Parliament.

“[Parliament] is always open to any lunatic with a fanatical outlook on life to mount an attack against innocent people in pursuit of their fixations and we have to be ever grateful to those who defend us on the perimeter of this building … which has been anticipating this possibility ever since 11 September 2001,” Julian Lewis, the Conservative MP who chairs parliament’s defense committee told a reporter for the Guardian. “We were recalled to parliament for an emergency session on Friday 14 September, and that was the first time we had he presence of police armed with sub machine guns openly guarding the Palace of Westminster - and they’ve been here ever since.”

London’s law enforcement is famously known for not carrying firearms with them, something that changed after 9/11 and has been continuously changing since the attacks on Paris, Brussels and Nice in the recent years.

After each and every terrorist attack, the city re-evaluated its stance on security, changing its procedures to be ready for multiple attacks at once like the events in Paris, stepping up security at areas of public transportation as result of the attack on Brussels airport and train station and even attempting to be more vigilant of vehicle attacks following the events in Nice and Berlin.

The attack in London is a tragedy, but not one that the London police and emergency crews were not ready for. London Ambulance twitter account said their emergency crews were on the scene in less than six minutes and the alleged attacker was shot and killed within minutes of leaving his or her vehicle, after stabbing a police officer just inside the gates of Parliament. Had this shooting not taken place, there could have been more casualties at the hand of the attacker armed with a knife.

“The Government’s top priority is the security of the people and I urge everyone to remain calm but to be vigilant and if they see anything they are concerned about they should report it to the police,” Home Secretary Amber Rudd said. “We have the best police, the best security services in the world and we must make sure that we let them get on with doing their job.”

Like the United States and other countries around the world that have been victimized by terror attacks, the UK will not fear terrorism, according to Rudd.

“The British people will be united in working together to defeat those who would harm our shared values,” Rudd said. “Values of democracy, tolerance and the rule of law. Values symbolized by the Houses of Parliament. Values that will never be destroyed."

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services
  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.