Critics Slam Met Police Over Easter Egg Hunt – But Is the Outrage Justified?

Shock! Horror! Ridiculed! That’s right — the Metropolitan Police have once again made headlines. But this time, not for crime-fighting or misconduct allegations, but for organising… an Easter egg hunt.

Yes, you read that correctly. A light-hearted, 30-minute team-building activity during break time at the Empress State Building, involving specialist counter-terrorism officers, has become the subject of nationwide criticism. Not frontline officers neglecting their duties, not police skipping out on emergency calls — but trained experts taking part in an optional, morale-boosting event in their own time. And yet, here we are, with the story making headlines and critics lining up to take pot shots.

Former detective Peter Bleksley called the event “ludicrous” and questioned the judgment of those involved — comments that have since been echoed in various media outlets. What’s disappointing is the narrative being spun. No, frontline police were not gallivanting around London ignoring 999 calls to hunt down Creme Eggs. The activity took place inside a secure facility housing the Met’s Counter Terrorism Operations Centre, one of the most crucial branches of policing in the country.

Officers work around the clock to keep London safe and will always prioritise urgent jobs and core policing work. This short, team-building activity was part of a break-time event, with no impact on operational policing.”

But the damage had already been done. One quick media story, one viral quote, and the image of the Met — and policing more broadly — is tarnished once again.

Let’s take a moment to look at the bigger picture. Police recruitment across the UK is suffering. In London alone, officer numbers have dropped significantly in recent years, with the Met struggling to attract and retain new recruits. And why wouldn’t they? Who would sign up to a job where even a brief morale-building exercise becomes headline news and is weaponised against you?

What we forget, or perhaps choose to ignore, is that every day, thousands of officers across London are putting themselves in harm’s way. They’re tackling armed suspects, de-escalating violent incidents, supporting victims of crime, and often operating under immense psychological pressure. These same officers are continuously smeared, mocked, and criticised — frequently by individuals who have never walked a mile in their shoes.

And yet here we are, watching another example of how outrage, often misinformed or exaggerated, undermines the mental wellbeing of those in uniform.

Surely, the critics offering their “words of wisdom” understand the difference between operational deployment and a controlled break-time activity in a non-public building? Surely, they realise that promoting cohesion and mental resilience among specialist teams is a necessity — not a luxury?

But perhaps that isn’t really the point for some. Perhaps, for those few voices who never miss an opportunity to knock the police, the facts don’t really matter. After all, stories like these are easy to sell and even easier to distort.

What’s truly sad is not the egg hunt — it’s that we live in a world where something so minor and innocent can be turned into ammunition against a workforce already under intense scrutiny.

When you strip away the headlines and the drama, you’re left with one truth: officers are human beings too. They need moments of lightness, of laughter, of team spirit — especially when the rest of their day might involve responding to a terror threat, supporting a traumatised victim, or being sent into dangerous unknowns.

Stay up to date with all of our latest updates and content by following us on our social media accounts!

We have created community pages where we will share our up-to-date stories happening in the area. Add the area closest to where you live.