Two people climbed the Empire State Building this morning in a brazen stunt that shut down parts of midtown Manhattan and drew a heavy police response. The pair, whose identities have not been released, ascended the iconic skyscraper’s exterior before being taken into custody at the 86th floor observatory. There are no reports of injuries.
The incident has prompted the Foreign Office to issue updated security advice for UK travellers in New York, while Home Office officials are understood to be reviewing urban security protocols for British landmarks. For families in the North, this kind of event may feel a world away from the daily grind of pay packets and rising bills. But the security apparatus that protects our cities is paid for by the same taxes that fund our schools and hospitals.
The cost of such operations, both here and abroad, adds to the burden on ordinary households already struggling with the cost of living. The Met Police has said it will study the NYPD’s response to see what lessons can be applied to landmarks like the Shard or the London Eye. “Every security incident is a reminder that the price of safety is never zero,” said a security analyst.
Back on the ground in Manchester, where the biggest worry is often the price of a loaf of bread, the Empire State Building stunt seems like a story from another world. Yet the global economy that allows such acts also affects the price of our weekly shop. As union leaders have long argued, real security comes from knowing your job and your home are safe.
