How Zinc enhances proactive response and resilience during civil unrest

The most significant period of civil unrest in recent decades.*

The UK has experienced a turbulent year in 2024, marked by widespread protests that reflect growing public frustration across various fronts, including economic, environmental, and political issues. The intensity and frequency of these demonstrations have led many to call this the most significant period of civil unrest in recent decades.

Unprecedented civil unrest in 2024

Cost of Living Protests:
In January 2024, thousands protested in London, Manchester, and Glasgow against the soaring cost of living.

Climate Change Activism:
Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil continued their campaigns, including the occupation of London’s financial district in March 2024.

Political Protests and Anti-Government Sentiment:
Following the Public Order Act in April 2024, granting police expanded powers, thousands gathered across the UK accusing the government of undermining civil liberties. The largest protest saw over 50,000 people march in London.

Social Unrest:
2024 saw significant unrest fuelled by misinformation and social tensions, including anti-immigration demonstrations after a tragic incident in Southport, which spread across cities like London, Manchester, and Sunderland.

“In times of crisis impacting the City of London, the CityINTEL platform powered by Zinc Synapse enables the City of London Police to communicate crucial and timely messaging to the CSC and its members. Recent protest activity in London has been an excellent example, where police provided alerts, updates and assurance communications to CSC members and their clients.”
David Ward – City Security Council (CSC).

In this climate, emergency responders, government authorities, and businesses are under increasing pressure from the public, media, and regulatory bodies to demonstrate their preparedness and ability to respond effectively. The public demands swift and transparent action to ensure safety and order, especially in the face of widespread discontent. The media intensifies scrutiny, often highlighting any perceived failures in response strategies. Meanwhile, regulatory bodies are imposing stricter guidelines and expectations, pushing these entities to review and enhance their security measures. The protection of people has become a central concern in any strategic and tactical plans.

To address these challenges, Zinc has equipped its clients across the public and private sectors with a platform that offers proactive insights into emerging and current threats, enables effective communication across teams during emergencies, and supports efficient incident management.

“We have a concentrated cluster of sites and staff that could have been directly impacted by this sudden escalating unrest. Fortunately, by harnessing Zinc Synapse, we were able to alert those sites and staff quickly and efficiently ahead of the pending activities, and initiate the various emergency operating procedures to minimise and nullify the possible disruptions to our business and customers.”
Top 10 Largest UK Security and FM Organisation.

The 360 Solution

Proactive:
As a critical event management (CEM) platform, Zinc delivers comprehensive insights into threats like the social unrest seen in 2024. By consolidating data from sources such as social media, law enforcement, and on-the-ground reports, Zinc provides real-time intelligence. This enables organisations to swiftly identify emerging threats, assess their potential impact, and take proactive measures to mitigate risks.

“Zinc provided a world-class solution in a very difficult time. We received alerts via our threat intelligence feed before it hit the BBC. We were therefore one step ahead of the game and were able to rapidly communicate and close our stores in the impacted areas.”
UK national retailer.

Protest and Offender Intelligence:
By leveraging investigative features like offender libraries connected to facial recognition and CCTV systems, along with incident analysis tools, teams can efficiently gather evidence on offenders, link related events, and understand their modus operandi. This approach ensures preparedness, allows for proactive measures to minimise disruption, and supports emergency services in both response and prosecution efforts.

Preparation:
Zinc allows organisations to analyse historical data and current intelligence to develop targeted response plans, allocate resources efficiently, and conduct scenario-based training. This preparedness ensures that when a critical event occurs, the organisation is ready to respond swiftly and effectively.

Response:
Zinc streamlines communication, coordinates incident management, and provides real-time updates, ensuring that all teams are aligned, decisions are made quickly, and resources are deployed where they are most needed.

Recovery:
Zinc supports recovery by coordinating communication, tracking incident resolution, and facilitating post-event analysis. This continuous feedback loop helps organisations learn from each incident, refine response strategies, and strengthen overall resilience against future threats.

*References:

Wikipedia.org
BBC.co.uk

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Managing Civil Unrest