Undercover police officers are being deployed at Harry Styles concerts at Wembley Stadium as part of a secret operation to protect women and girls from predatory behaviour, with seven arrests already made this summer for violence against women and girls at concerts.
Undercover officers blend in with fans
Officers dress in glitter and sparkles, hiding handcuffs and walkie-talkies under their concert attire, to blend in with the crowd. One officer proudly showed a cowboy hat to help disguise herself. The team intervenes by striking up conversations with suspicious individuals, aiming to disrupt potential crimes before they happen.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Wadey said: 'About 50 officers are deployed to look for this type of predatory behaviour. What they look for can range from catcalling to being generally obnoxious. We want to tell criminals, you never know who is watching and if you behave in a way that is unacceptable, we will deal with you.'
Arrests and charges
At the Harry Styles concert, a man in his 50s was arrested for indecent exposure. In a separate incident, Stephen Watkins, 42, was charged with upskirting at a Bad Bunny concert in Tottenham on Sunday. These cases are part of a broader crackdown on violence against women and girls at live events.
Signs of predatory behaviour
Officers look for men attending alone, especially those lingering around crowds of young women rather than heading into the venue. One officer explained: 'Yes, they could just be here because they love [Harry Styles]. But his fanbase is largely young women and girls. We would rather be safe than sorry.'
Another officer noted: 'Just going up to them, making yourself known, can hopefully plant a seed of doubt in their mind and disrupt a crime before it happens.' The operation aims to deter offenders by making them aware that plainclothes police are present.
