Embassy of the United States in London

The Embassy of the United States of America to the Court of St James's is situated at the American Embassy London Chancery Building in Grosvenor Square, Westminster, City of Westminster, London. The London embassy is one of the largest United States diplomatic buildings in the world, with a staff of 750 trailing only New Delhi, Moscow and Mexico City in total personnel, though the new embassy in Baghdad will also be larger upon completion [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article4894497.ece] . The building is the focal point for events relating to the United States held in the United Kingdom.

History

The first American Embassy in London was situated in Great Cumberland Place, later moving to Piccadilly, Portland Place and Grosvenor Gardens. In 1938, the embassy was moved to 1 Grosvenor Square (which now hosts part of the Canadian High Commission). During this time Grosvenor Square began to accommodate many U.S. government offices, including the headquarters of General Eisenhower and the European headquarters of the United States Navy. Following World War II, the Duke of Westminster donated land for a memorial to wartime President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The current U.S. Embassy building was constructed in the late 1950s, opening in 1960; it was designed by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen. It is a nine-story building, of which three are below ground. A large gilded aluminum Bald Eagle with a wingspan of over 11 metres (35 feet) is situated on the roof of the chancery building, making it a recognizable London landmark.

This embassy, aside from the U.S. embassy in Japan, is the only U.S. embassy situated on land that is not owned by the U.S. government. The land is leased from the Duke of Westminster who, when asked if he would sell the land outright, responded that he would if the U.S. Government would return the land that belonged to his family in the U.S. before it was confiscated during the Revolutionary War. [The Guardian. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/ukresponse/story/0,11017,818905,00.html Fortress America] October 25 2002.] Failed verification|date=October 2008

Vietnam protests

In the 1960s a deteriorating security situation forced the U.S. government to significantly upgrade the security of the embassy building. The Vietnam War drew large protests in London, which targeted the embassy building in Grosvenor Square. In 1968, a large protest forced London's police force, the Metropolitan Police, to close off Grosvenor Square to prevent demonstrators from storming the building. As a result of the protests, the embassy was closed off to public access.

ecurity concerns

Security at the embassy was further tightened in the 1980s and 90s following successive attacks on U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. However, it was after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 that security was significantly increased. A massive security operation at the embassy has seen one side of Grosvenor Square closed to public access by car, and armed roadblocks are stationed outside the building. On August 29, 2002 a Swedish citizen of Tunisian descent was arrested at the Stockholm-Västerås Airport trying to board a Ryanair Flight 685 destined for London Stansted Airport with a loaded gun in his luggage. Anonymous intelligence sources cited in the media claimed that the man was planning to hijack the aircraft and crash it into the United States embassy in London, using the rooftop eagle to identify it from the air. Sweden's Security Service, Säpo, denied the claims and called the reports "false information" [cite news|title=Hijack suspect had flight training in US|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article175451.ece|publisher=The Independent|date=2002-09-01|accessdate=2006-12-27] The man was subsequently cleared of all terrorism-related charges. [cite news|title=Sweden drops hijack inquiry|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2377641.stm|publisher=BBC News|date=2002-10-30|accessdate=2006-12-27]

The security threat against the embassy has prompted the U.S. government to consider moving the embassy. Several British media outlets reported that the U.S government had wished to use Kensington Palace as their embassy. This was apparently vetoed by the Queen, as several members of the British Royal Family, including Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, have their residencies there. The Embassy denied the reports. [BBC News. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3157759.stm US 'eyed royal palace'] 17 August 2003.]

Embassy sections

*Consular Section
**American Citizen Services
**Visa Services
*United States Commercial Service
**Liaison Office to European Bank for Reconstruction & Development
*Defense Attaché
*Foreign Agricultural Service
*Customs and Border Protection
*Public Affairs
*Office of Defense Cooperation
*Department of Homeland Security (Immigration)
*Internal Revenue Service

There are also American consulates general in Belfast, Northern Ireland and Edinburgh, Scotland and a Welsh Affairs Office in Cardiff, Wales.

taff

The current United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom is Robert Holmes Tuttle; the Deputy Chief of Mission is Richard LeBaron.

ee also

*Winfield House - the official residence of the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom

References

External links

* [http://www.usembassy.org.uk/ Embassy of the United States - London]
* [http://www.buyusa.gov/uk/en/ US Commercial Service at the US Embassy, London]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/17/newsid_2818000/2818967.stm BBC News - "1968: Anti-Vietnam demo turns violent"]