The Presidents in town. Are his men packing heat?

[FourWheelDrift]

HTP99 said:

My mate is a protection officer in the Met; he is working with the Americans, he will have a gun on him.

So they doesn't trust the Americans either then

[hora]

Well they have a reputation for blue on blue..

[4x4Tyke]

Thankyou4calling said:

IE are his bodyguards carrying weapons and how about the head of other countries? Do theirs?

I just wondered that's all.

The American secret service guys will not be armed while in this country, which would be illegal. Their UK counterparts will be.

[George111]

HTP99 said:

... he is working with the Americans, he will have a gun on him.

Why . . is he black ? If he's white he should be OK.

[Vaud]

4x4Tyke said:

The American secret service guys will not be armed while in this country, which would be illegal. Their UK counterparts will be.

Not true.

At least in 2003

"The home secretary has insisted that although agents may carry arms, they would not be immune from prosecution if they used them."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/3276669.stm

edit: and 2008:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-10...

[hora]

Even if they were covered under/classed as embassy staff?

Then whisked out of the country?

[Vaud]

hora said:

Even if they were covered under/classed as embassy staff?

Then whisked out of the country?

I suspect it is one of those scenarios that there is a plan for, but that no-one will talk about ahead of time.

[unrepentant]

4x4Tyke said:

The American secret service guys will not be armed while in this country, which would be illegal. Their UK counterparts will be.

There is NFW that POTUS goes anywhere without his secret service detail being armed.

[bitchstewie]

I'd always assumed yes, and armed to the fking teeth tbh.

[funkyrobot]

They probably have guns hidden in violin cases and bunches of flowers.

[AJL308]

The legal situation is straight forward; you need to firearm certificate (or shotgun certificate) to possess firearms in the UK.

There are various exemptions such as for target Shooting at approved clubs, borrowing guns on private land or for firearms dealers, etc. There are lots of exemptions.

I don't see what exemption the President's S-Service guys could use for their possession though. It's more complicated as their gear is section 5 so you need Home Office authority as well as an FAC. Possibly visiting forces but they are civilian, as far as I'm aware.

They won't be relying on blagging some sort of diplomatic immunity though.

[Thankyou4calling]

Thanks for the posts.

Lots of conflicting information though, can anyone quote something definitive?

[SilverSpur]

Murph7355 said:

DuckAvenger said:

Never mind the gun, brown shoes with a grey suit FFS. That's probably what was being attacked.

You need your eyes checking. That suit is a light brown, goes fine with his brown shoes and brown tie.

The guy opposite him nealing on the guy on the ground is wearing a grey suit, wearing acceptable black shoes.

[Vaud]

I did find this:

A Home Office spokesman said the UK government was saying little about the American security arrangements, but agreed that the position put forward by the US Secret Service regarding the shoot to kill policy was "fair and accurate". The spokesman said there were "protocols" with the USSS "which allow them to go armed in this country".

[SilverSpur]

DuckAvenger said:

Did this guys gun come out of that suitcase on the floor then? Looks like it.

[SilverSpur]

AJL308 said:

The legal situation is straight forward; you need to firearm certificate (or shotgun certificate) to possess firearms in the UK.

There are various exemptions such as for target Shooting at approved clubs, borrowing guns on private land or for firearms dealers, etc. There are lots of exemptions.

I don't see what exemption the President's S-Service guys could use for their possession though. It's more complicated as their gear is section 5 so you need Home Office authority as well as an FAC. Possibly visiting forces but they are civilian, as far as I'm aware.

They won't be relying on blagging some sort of diplomatic immunity though.

I would suspect they are simply above the law in this respect. ie the rules apply to us but not them.

[Halb]

Timmy40 said:

I'm curious about the Apaches' is this some sort of affirmative action thing for native americans that they are incorporated into his body guard?

It's so nobody who uses vowels in their language can understand their secret missives.

[Rovinghawk]

Rick101 said:

There was a documentary on Netflix I think a few months back.

Was some great footage in the 80's of an possible attack and you see 4 or 5 close protection in Raybans jump into action looking around whilst whipping Uzi's out of their jackets.

Proper cool.

It was when Reagan was shot in the arm. The protection team spent most of their time screaming at each other & pointing uzis at rooftops even though the attacker was on the floor.

After the ambulance whisked Reagan away they still continued scanning rooftops & screaming at each other. One was heard to call "Does anyone have a handkerchief?" for the aide with a gunshot wound to the stomach. Many guns, no brains, no 1st aid kit; the ambulance didn't even lob one out the back before driving off.

I wouldn't describe it as 'proper cool'.

[Petrus1983]

Obamas security detail are heavily armed, this is standard procedure and has been for quite a while. The Secret Service has ZERO faith in any foreign agency, as such (and at great expense) all is handled 'in house'.

[funkyrobot]

Petrus1983 said:

Obamas security detail are heavily armed, this is standard procedure and has been for quite a while. The Secret Service has ZERO faith in any foreign agency, as such (and at great expense) all is handled 'in house'.

Why is it called The Secret Service if we all know about it?