Rishi Sunak's police escort compared to North Korea as officers are seen jogging along next to his motorcade

25 April 2023, 07:03

By EJ Ward

Police officers were seen jogging alongside Rishi Sunak's motorcade in apparent footage of him returning to Downing Street over the weekend.

In scenes compared to the security detail afforded to North Korea leader Kim Jong-un, about 20 officers ran on foot ahead of police motorbike outriders.

A fleet of cars containing the Prime Minister was escorted along Whitehall towards Parliament, by a motorcade featuring officers clad in Met Police uniform and jogging in formation.

A video shared on Twitter shows a police officer on a bike leading the convoy, shouting “out the way please” and dispersing members of the public from the road.

This was then followed by a Metropolitan Police vehicle and more jogging officers.

One police officer was filmed confirming it was "the Prime Minister" after being asked by an onlooker who was being escorted down Whitehall.

Social media users were baffled by the large escort, describing it as “a tremendous waste of police manpower”.

Others compared it to the moment 12 bodyguards dressed in suits ran in formation alongside leader Kim Jong-Un’s car as he left a meeting with South Korean leader Moon Jae-in, in 2018.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's security run alongside motorcade

One Twitter user wrote: “Not necessary at all. I can’t understand how this is a good use of the few police officers we have.”

A government source said it was believed the Metropolitan Police’s tactics were to help the convoy evade protestors from Extinction Rebellion, who had threatened to disrupt the marathon.

Asked whether the bizarre escort was related to Extinction Rebellion, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “On security issues, that is one for the Met Police, rather than us.”

The Metropolitan Police however declined to comment on “matters of private security”.