HUNDREDS of people turned up to take a look around the Olympic police base during an open day.


The controversial facility on Wanstead Flats, which will be home to 3,500 police and 35 horses during the games, opened its doors to the public on Saturday (July 21).

Kevin Blowe, of the Save Wanstead Flats campaign, spoke out against the use of the green space for the base.

He said: "It was a very finely done PR exercise. I was pleased that there was no ridiculous restrictions on taking photographs.

"We will just have to wait now to see if Wanstead Flats is restored back to its original state."

The Save Wanstead Flats campaign took their fight against the base to the High Court, but were unable to prevent its construction.


Chief Inspector Colin Green, of the Olympic Policing Community Relations Team, said: "We decided to allow the public to have the opportunity to look around because there had been some concern over that particular base, it gave residents a chance to see the set up of this large facility."


The day coincided with the arrival of an alternative torch relay on Wanstead Flats, which was arranged to protest against Olympic development.


Julien Cheyne, of anti-games group Counter Olympics, said: "The Poverty Torch Relay highlights long-standing Olympic issues of eviction, land seizure and the exclusion of the poor. London 2012 is no different. The Olympics epitomises corporate power and growing social inequality."


The police base became operational today (July 23) and will be in use for the next 90 days. 


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