Published on Friday 16 August 2024
You may have seen in the local news and on social media that there are two planned protests due to take place on Sunday 18 August in Bournemouth Town Centre at BCP Council Civic Centre.
Whilst the organisers have assured the police these are to be peaceful protests, we have been working with Dorset Police and other partners to make sure we are ready and prepared for all eventualities.
You will see an increase in police resources in the town centre on Sunday 18 August. Please do not let this alarm you. This is to make sure there is enough resource to police the protests that are due to take place that day at Bournemouth Civic Centre.
The police will enact temporary powers in Bournemouth town centre over the weekend. It is important to highlight that these are preventative measures and are intended to further reassure communities that the police are doing all they can to ensure the protests on Sunday are both peaceful and lawful. Further information about the temporary powers can be found here.
As a council we have put in place additional security measures which include installing CCTV cameras in key areas, providing additional Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) patrols and taking precautionary action to make sure any building sites in the area are safe.
We know from what we have seen nationally that some of our communities may be worried and anxious.
The local neighbourhood policing team and CSAS officers have been visiting town centre businesses to update and reassure people and answer any questions.
Alongside the police, our council officers have been speaking to community and faith leaders, businesses and resident groups to provide reassurance and support.
Our youth outreach team is also continuing to engage with children and young people to support and advise.
With the warm weather set to continue, we are gearing up for a busy weekend in Bournemouth and, just like any other weekend, people can expect to come to our beaches, gardens and town centre and enjoy themselves.
As we have seen nationally across social media, not all information is accurate. The police receive information regularly and are working with partners, including BCP Council, to assess and act on that information in a considered and appropriate way once facts are confirmed.
We understand everyone’s desire to keep up to date and we will share any updates from Dorset Police and BCP Council on our social media channels. These channels are where you will be able to find the latest updates: