A no-fly zone has been imposed over Wimbledon for the first time in nearly 10 years as part of one of the biggest security operations in the Championship's 126-year history. With the Olympic Games only three weeks away, security bosses said they would be watching for any threats that might have “a knock-on effect” on the policing of the Games, which is expected to be the biggest peace-time security operation in British history (INDEPENDENT, 6/25). In London, Esther Addley wrote, "Security has been beefed up already." Metropolitan Police Superintendent Pete Dobson said that the upcoming Games had "formed part of his security thinking" for Wimbledon. Dobson said the tennis championship offered "a large window of opportunity"
for terrorists, protesters, or "fixated individuals" who might "want to
attack or disrupt them" or to use them for
"reconnaissance" for the Olympics. Dobson: "I am acutely aware that if
somebody was to do something untoward here it could well have a knock-on
effect on the Olympics" (GUARDIAN, 6/25).
FANS FRUSTRATED: Tennis fans camping outside the All England Club for day tickets were "not moaning about the weather." They were "frustrated at the number of seats diverted to corporate customers." Fan Mark Martin, who travelled 500 miles from his home in Scottish Highlands, said, "It really annoys me. They've got fantastic tickets and they won't even watch the match." Corporate hospitality tickets are still available for every day of the Wimbledon tennis championship beginning Monday -- for thousands of pounds (INDEPENDENT, 6/25).
