First minister security review call after home protest

Hundreds of people protested outside Mark Drakeford's home on Saturday

Security around First Minister Mark Drakeford should be reviewed after a protest outside his house, according to a specialist.

On Saturday, anti-lockdown protesters with loud speakers and banners shouted in the street outside his Cardiff home.

Dai Davies, a former head of security for the Royal Family, said the incident was "totally unacceptable".

South Wales Police said it would not comment on matters of security.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, deputy leader of Plaid Cymru, said the protesters should not have been allowed to march past a politician's private home.

On Sunday, the force said it was made aware of a planned protest and about 500 people met at City Hall before moving to various locations throughout the city centre.

It said the protest passed peacefully, without incident and no arrests were made.

However, the protest has sparked condemnation from cross-party politicians who said the scenes amounted to "bullying".

"How were they allowed to get that close to the first minister's home?" said Mr Davies.

"There ought to be an urgent review again by those competent to do it, to actually review both his home, and any other minister, that may be affected by this very small lunatic fringe.

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"You'll always get a small minority who want to seek to bully and harass.

"That's why I'm saying it is totally unacceptable, you know, whatever your views of the First Minister Mark Drakeford, that he shouldn't be subjected to this kind of abuse," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"He's doing his best, I've no doubt, but even whether he isn't, he's still democratically elected and deserves the protection of the law and the police force charged with keeping the Queen's peace.

"And if that's the Queen's peace then I'm a sugar fairy."

Crowds were pictured on social media standing outside the Welsh Labour leader's private home as speeches were made.

It came as other protests against restrictions and vaccines took place in cities across the globe, including Paris, Sydney, London and Toronto.

Carwyn Jones, who led Wales from 2009 until 2018, called the Cardiff protest "a favourite tactic of the far right in America".

Lee Dodderidge, a former member of the UK's national counter terrorism security office, said in "today's climate it would be the wisest and most easiest option" for the first minister to have an official residence.

While the prime minister has accommodation at Downing Street, and the first minister of Scotland has Bute House in Edinburgh, there is no equivalent for the Welsh first minister.

"When we're trying to secure somebody's health, or any sort of security really what we're trying to do is delay the attacker coming in.

"Trying to achieve that in a home is really, really difficult. In an official residence, we can have a wider perimeter."

However the first minister is not thought to want an official residence.

'Disturbed'

Andrew RT Davies, the Welsh Conservative's Senedd leader, said he was "disturbed" by the scenes outside the first minister's home.

He said the pandemic had "unquestionably increased the spotlight on the Senedd and its politicians - none more so than the first minister".

"And what may have been appropriate security a few years ago is no longer the case," he said, adding the arrangement should be constantly reviewed.

However he said an official residence would be an "unnecessary overcorrection".

Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru said the protest should not have been "allowed to happen".

Mr ap Iorwerth said there should be an official residence for the first minister, but did not link the proposal to the events of Saturday, saying the issue was it was "unacceptable to go and protest outside a private home".