Being researching and writing about terrorism and counterterrorism for years, it was impossible to miss Counter Terror Expo (CTX) 2021 at ExCel London, UK. In this blog post, I will outline my impressions and reflections on the event.
This is an introduction to the event from their official website:
“Counter Terror Expo (CTX) unites professionals from industry, infrastructure, government and policing to explore counter-terrorism and other complex security operations.
The event facilitates the development of new ideas and technologies to combat the latest threats facing the UK and other geographies.
Having launched in 2008, this year marks the show’s 13th iteration, but first at our new ExCeL London home. With all attendees verified and approved, you can expect a high quality, relevant audience encompassing law enforcement, government and the private sector.”
Security measures
The organisers employed a complete registration and verification process. One had to register online under one of the categories (industry, academia, exhibitor, etc.) and supply an ID document. The proof of vaccination against Covid-19 had to be shown before being allowed to enter the premises. I found the registration process quick and efficient; I received approval in less than a week. Overall, although somewhat time-consuming, the registration process has left me with a feeling that it was well thought through.
On the conference day (I attended on the last day), I took the Tube to get to the Custom House on the DLR. The first security check for badges and IDs was conducted right after leaving the station, the second one was at the entrance to ExCel, and the third one included a metal detector and bags scan. ExCel provided ample space for exhibitions and seminar areas, with enough space for social distancing. Overall, the level of security was adequate, as it had to be expected when security professionals organised the event. Nonetheless, CTX 2021 delivered comprehensive security measures with minimum time spent to go through all the checks.
My reflections on the event
My main interest in CTX 2021 was educational – as someone who spent less time on the UK’s counterterrorism developments research, I was looking forward to hearing local experts and their insights. The seminars that I attended did not disappoint, as the speakers happily and generously shared their knowledge and expertise. What I have noticed from the talks:
First, all speakers were either related to the police in some capacity or very pro-police. There was a lot of praising the UK police and the British approach to counterterrorism. Although it was to be expected in an event like this, I wish speakers shared what did not work in their counterterrorist careers as well. I believe sharing mistakes and things that do not work is as critical as sharing good practices.
Second, there was a repeating trend of discussing expanding the boundaries of counterterrorism (in both physical and analytical sense), but no one has spoken about how to do it. Everyone agrees that a collaborative environment and knowledge sharing is the future of counterterrorism. Still, no one knows how it would look like or where to start to make it happen. It was great to see a tendency towards more open and transparent counterterrorism practices, but there is a long road ahead of implementing said trend.
Event’s shortcomings
Overall, CTX 2021, despite having a separate section for registration of academic applications, was extremely practitioner-oriented. The exhibition mainly was about technological advances – various scanners, drones, fences, tactical gear, and other tangible achievements of the security industry. Unfortunately, academia was barely mentioned in the seminars, and no academic views on the issues discussed were presented. I hope that the next CTX will work harder to address that imbalance.
In addition, following the pattern of gender representation in the security industry, CTX 2021 was men dominated, featuring way fewer women in the audience and exhibition stands and even fewer women speakers. This is a sombre observation to make in 2021, and again, I hope that the organisers will make an effort to have a more balanced speakers panel in the future.
To sum up, CTX 2021 was an event worth attending. Although not without its shortcomings, CTX 2021 showed an upward trend in discussing knowledge sharing, collaborations, and transparency of counterterrorism practices. The work of demystifying and operationalising counterterrorism is ongoing, and it was wonderful to see that this trend is making its way to the security industry.