Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the police took to (a) ensure safety and (b) enforce the law during celebrations in London of Albanian Independence Day on 28 November 2022.

The Metropolitan Police Service is operationally independent of government. They confirm that they responded quickly to deploy spontaneous resources in response to a large no-notice event in London, celebrating Albanian Independence Day. Police worked closely with partners to minimise disruption.

MPS confirmed that the force will ensure there is an adequate, appropriate policing plan in place for the next event in 2023.

The management of public processions and public assemblies is as an operational matter for the police. Ministers are unable to intervene in individual cases or in operational decisions made by the police. To do so would undermine the principle that the police are operationally independent of Government.