Are Our Churches No Longer Safe?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3766681/Vicars-told-not-wear-dog-collars-public-experts-fear-ISIS-target-British-church-attack.html

/// buy CCTV and carry personal attack alarms. ///

/// Bodyguards on the door. ‘The job of the person on the door is to delay any offenders (including those who are not terrorists) so that the police can arrive and deal with
them.’ ///

/// The Counter Terrorism Advice for Churches provides safety and security advice to churches and advises congregations to flee in the event of an attack rather than try to hide. ///

Money well spent it would seem.

/// The Home Office announced last month that it would provide £2.4million to increase safety at places of worship. ///

I wonder what places of worship that money will be spent on?

[agchristie]

'I wonder what type of places of worship the money will be spent on'

One like this perhaps?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/30/muslims-on-way-to-prayers-at-german-mosque-discover-front-door-h/

[hc4361]

I like what they did in Pakistan after the attrocities there

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/08/muslims-form-human-chain-pakistan_n_4057381.html

[anotheoldgit]

/// The community is so small it does not have a purpose-built mosque, but holds its prayers in a disused transformer station. ///

A transformer station no longer disused it seems.

[agchristie]

^ quite!

[EcclesCake]

I wonder too, what are your thoughts?

[Mamyalynne]

Churches have always been vulnerable and of course the dreadful murder of Father Hamel brought that into sharp focus.

Largely gone are the days when Churches were unlocked day and night for worshippers to pop in- sad but true.

[Jackdaw33]

Our vicar in the 60s insisted the church be unlocked 24/7. That has not been the case for many years.

[Mamyalynne]

Yes, it was widespread back then.


Strange seeing bouncers on doors mentioned - that occasionally happened at Christmas Midnight Mass and any attendees thought too full of festive cheer were politely told to go home, especially as the building was usually packed fit to burst too.

[Jackdaw33]

Long gone are the days when if you didn't get to Midnight Mass 1/2 an hour before it started you would struggle to find a seat.

[agchristie]

I wonder how much faith the congregation has in these proposals...

[Mamyalynne]

Still packed houses here, guess it isn't true everywhere.

[agchristie]

I would have thought that prior to the attack in France that churches would be the type of building most at risk anyway given that our enemy wishes to steamroller their religion and drive Christianity into oblivion.

The stark reality is that any establishment is in the firing line including theatres,cinemas,museums,stadiums to practically anywhere where the maximum damage can be inflicted.

The terror status alert is not exclusive to places of worship so unless there is some particular intelligence it seems to be common sense.

[THECORBYLOON]

ANOTHEOLDGIT, there is a link here for folk to apply for help, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/places-of-worship-security-funding-scheme#eligibility

[jourdain2]

We have a small, mostly Norman, country church. My first thought, after the events in France, was that somewhere like us would be an ideal candidate for attack. I promptly began carrying a drum of white pepper in my bag - hoping that a faceful for an attacker would let our elderly ex-army chaps have a chance of disarming him. I've done more thinking since.

Keeping a key hanging inside by the vestry door is one - a way of escape.
Making sure the churchwardens' staffs can easily be taken out of their sockets.
Keeping a 'bouncer' by the main door - with something like a long truncheon nearby.
Being ready to use the heavy brass candlesticks as weapons.
Infirm members of the congregation to be asked to sit close to the door so they can get out.
Asking a licensed, gun-bearing farmer to be part of the congregation with a loaded 12-bore.
Someone to have a switched-on mobile phone set to dial an emergency number at one press.

I would be grateful for any other suggestions, have meeting next month.

We're looking at the CCTV option - but it's still money we can very ill afford.

[jourdain2]

^^^^ Should add that we still keep the church open during the day - much appreciated by visitors although it's yet another rota to open and close.

[agchristie]

Jourdain - wow! Some serious contingency planning going on there.

Is this happening elsewhere in France and is similar funding in place to assist places of worship?

[THEMOTLEY1]

I think jourdain is in Yorkshire

[Cloverjo]

I am not religious but I love to look round churches and am disappointed when I find one locked up.
I used to hang around hoping to be invited in when services were about to start, so I find it very sad there are security staff at the doors, now.

[Ric.ror]

It might have been a nice gesture to re-name a few mosques after Father Hamel too

[jourdain2]

ag I'm in E. Riding now. :)
Jackdaw - our Carol service, Midnight mass and Easter Sunday services are still 'sell-outs'! We do a candlelit carol service (difficult to read the music) and people love it.