To think we should avoid London right now?

[StayorgoLDN]

Due to visit London in the next few weeks.

Anxious with Palestinian protests and so forth in the news. I don’t want to be near that with young children, and worried that it may escalate to some sort of attack.

We are not Jews, but presuming as the U.K. is supporting Israel that we’ll all be fair game ie there might be an attack/bomb somewhere prominent to send a message to gov.

Have been in London during terrorist attacks before and I’d rather avoid.

AIBU to consider rescheduling our family trip to next year?

@Allthatwegotisthispalebluedot

😂 firstly I don’t have Instagram.

We avoided the tube primarily because we have autistic kids and one very lovely person on this thread (who I will always be grateful to) suggested Uber as she’d used them in London with her autistic son. It was so easy and cheap and avoided gargantuan amounts of hassle.

Secondarily, I have a bit of anxiety around it following 7/7 and hotel concierge told us specifically to avoid it on the Saturday night following the protest march which we took at face value.

300,000 people descending on central London to protest, many from elsewhere, is not part of the fabric of everyday life in the city.

We avoid the city centre where we are if there are protests and it is only a few thousand, it is not something I want to bring my kids near due to my past experience and their additional needs.

Anyway, personally for me I wouldn’t want to book a weekend break in London again until this issue has resolved. But each to their own.

I’m about to nip out to Tesco……but not before I’ve created new thread on Mumsnet, where over the next 3 weeks I’ll ask for advice on transport, avoiding potential terrorist attacks, how my children will cope & I’ll end up with suggesting that Cruella Braverman further extends the new legislation which she bought in to restrict the public’s right to protest.
Really, don’t put yourself through the anxiety of coming here again. London’s clearly not the place for you.

@Sunseaandsand1

I would rather ask for advice and seek reassurance (all of which was massively useful to us, hugely so).

Than be dismissive of a mother with disabled children and a person who has anxiety related to growing up in the troubles and being caught up in terrorist attacks in the past.

London was absolutely a fantastic place for us - we all thoroughly enjoyed what we were able to go to, the museums and show were fantastic.

We hope to be able to see more when we are able to afford to come again and will leave booking flights until closer to the time next time.

300,000 sounds like a reference to yesterday - I was on the march - now and again I peeled off and just one street away all was peace and quiet - the policing from what I saw was exemplary. No problems at all to avoid. Your much vaunted "concierge" appears to have managed to dump you in the heart of the demo disruption. As for staying away until this issue is resolved@@, there are many other issues/many other demos in London.
I don't believe you ever answered the question about where you are from - this haven of peace.
@@Might take a while, but hopefully before the second coming. Now just think about the disruption the latter event would cause.

Hi OP, just to keep you updated, I've done a further 3 trips to London since and am still alive.

I was in London over this weekend and didn't see even a sniff of trouble or a protest despite being in busy tourist places.

The biggest problem in central London yesterday was the utter traffic mayhem

@FordAnglia
yes the concierge, for being a lovely man, did dump us right in it. He also talked us out of the bus tour as said the traffic would be too bad. So we did a walking tour of our own!

I can deal with protest and I think it should be allowed, it’s the scale of it and the surrounding animosity from certain factions.

We originally from NI, now in Scotland. There have been protests where we are and when we’ve visited family. But wholly avoidable as we’ve just stayed at home.

@HappyMavis

Glad all is well. As I’ve said previously my fear wasn’t harm to me or family, I know that is vanishingly rare, but disruption leading to a waste of 3k. We won’t be on a trip like that again for another few years with other financial commitments.

I'm not being funny but I think London is the worst place to go with autistic children (my DD is autistic)
The chaos, noise, crowds and chance of late trains, queues etc would not suit my daughter one bit.

@AntiquePancakes

Provided you have medical reports and evidence to get DLA this will lead to you never having to queue ever again.

For everywhere you go you should get a free pass to avoid queues entirely, concessionary tickets, free carer tickets, the works.

Your daughter (and anyone accompanying) will get fast tracked through airports often with a personal assistant and prioritised to go on the plane first, free choice of seat.

We got ubers from airport to hotel, when we were moving hotel, when we left to return to airport. And whenever we needed to go anywhere that wasn’t within walking distance. It was cheaper and less stressful than trains/tube for all of us.

It is a bit of a faff to organise everything, for instance there is not one pass for all, you have to contact each individual place you are due to attend (or at least look at their accessibility policy) from the airport to the theatre to the museum, zoo, whatever… there may be a specific scheme or application form process you need to go through for each child/disabled person which may need to be completed weeks ahead, or you may just have to note what evidence of disability to bring for whatever place.

(note this was part of my anxiety for the trip - we have to plan and organise everything in advance to the letter, we can’t just reorganise on the day!!)

Especially in somewhere like London they are up to date with being accessible to people with disabilities, it is part of the attraction!!!!

My daughter is autistic too and I fully hear ya, Antique. Never again

@AntiquePancakes @Photographsandmemories

Do you use the access arrangements many places provide? Or not have DLA and/or the autism so severe that it makes little odds?

DD is an adult now so it was a while ago, but she would never in a million years go to London, even now

@AntiquePancakes one of my kids is a huge theatre fan the other mad into dinosaurs so it was a win win. Short of going to New York you can’t get the quality of shows/museums elsewhere.

Honestly, we were accommodated SO well everywhere, no queues whatsoever, carers tickets so both of us could afford to go to everything with kids and support them, the British museum now even has a sensory map which makes things easier.

As I say you have to plan in advance and make sure access is available, but it’s really brilliant now.

With all that support the kids can engage with what they love, and rightly so.

If your daughter doesn’t have a diagnostic report/DLA it’s so worth fighting to get. We’ve found it has opened the doors to a better life, equality, and protection against discrimination.

It's fine here. Totally normal. But if you feel anxious just don't come op.

There was a peace march at the weekend op. 800,000 people protesting the killing of innocent people.

If your autistic family members hate crowds, maybe stay out of London.

It sounds like you're trying to justify those comments.

Zombie!!!

Don’t start the OP off again. 😊

I doubt the OP is still here, especially after some of the comments on this thread.

Probably planning their next family outing to the Ukraine

It's not the Ukraine. Its just Ukraine.

Soz

I don’t feel unsafe. It’s business as usual I’d say. Worse thing is the crappy trains which keep going down.