Operation Plato

'''Operation Plato''' is a British omnibus governmental protocol enacted in the event of major national or regional emergencies requiring the immediate coordination of multiple first responders and national governmental echelons; most notably Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (more familiarly known as Cobra) is convened. The Joint Operating Principles (JOP) automatically come into play{{Clarify|reason=What does this mean?|date=October 2025}}. Operation Plato is used by police when responding to a "marauding terror attack".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/2025-10-02/what-is-plato-the-operation-declared-after-stabbing-at-manchester-synagogue|title= What is Plato? Police operation declared after stabbing at synagogue in Manchester |date=2 October 2025|website=ITV News}}</ref>

==Incidents== *It was activated during the Manchester Arena bombing but force duty officer (FDO) Insp Dale Sexton went against guidance and kept Operation Plato "secret" so that paramedics, unarmed police and members of the public helping the injured would not be withdrawn from a "hot zone", in which only armed officers should operate.<ref>{{cite web | title=Manchester Arena Inquiry: Emergency joint response 'went wrong' | date=24 May 2021 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-57231660 }}</ref> *It was activated (by the Greater Manchester Police)<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cx2703lnww4t|title=Starmer says Britain must defeat rising antisemitic hatred after two killed in Manchester synagogue attack|website=BBC News}}</ref> for the 2 October 2025 Manchester synagogue attack on Yom Kippur<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2025/oct/02/police-reports-stabbing-synagogue-greater-manchester-live|title=Synagogue attacker who killed two was a 'terrorist targeting Jews because they are Jews', says Starmer – latest updates|first1=Caroline|last1=Davies|first2=Tom|last2=Ambrose|first3=Caroline|last3=Davies (now)|first4=Tom|last4=Ambrose (earlier)|work=the Guardian |date=Oct 2, 2025|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref> *It was initially activated but later rescinded in response to the 2025 Cambridgeshire train stabbing on 1 November 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Huntingdon train stabbing: How the mass attack unfolded |url=https://news.sky.com/story/huntingdon-train-stabbing-how-the-mass-attack-unfolded-13462334 |access-date=2025-11-02 |website=Sky News |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Counterterrorism in the United Kingdom Category:Disaster management Category:Emergency management in the United Kingdom