Armed police officers in front of an institutional building

Three Metropolitan Police officers armed with submachine guns guard the entrance of an institutional building in London, positioned on the characteristic red carpet of the entrance steps. The officers wear the typical black bulletproof vests and black and white checkered caps of the British police. This image documents the enhanced security measures adopted in the British capital to protect government and diplomatic headquarters. The presence of armed forces on London streets, once rare, has become more common in recent years in response to national security threats.

armed police London, Metropolitan Police, London security, British armed officers