A police force has been criticised over pictures of armed officers smiling and posing with shoppers at a Christmas market.

The images, which show officers guarding the market in Newcastle city centre, attracted more than 2,500 comments after being published on Northumbria Police's Facebook page.

The force said the armed officers were deployed "purely for reassurance and to make people feel safe".

But the policy drew criticism on Facebook, with one person saying it indicated the UK was "one step closer to martial law".

Image: The armed officers posed with shoppers at the market. Pic: Northumbria Police

One woman wrote: "I've got news for you, Northumbria Police; seeing heavily armed police officers at a Christmas market would NOT make me feel safe - quite the opposite.


"We do NOT NOT NOT want armed police to become the general rule on our streets. More weapons = more danger, not less. We do NOT want to end up like America."

Meanwhile, another Facebook user said "there's no call to wave guns about in public".

He added: "If they want to meet Joe Public, they can leave their guns at home. Terrorism is there to make people feel afraid, and responding to it with public displays of firepower is a terrible idea."

But one man responded, saying: "These officers are here for public protection. The world isn't the utopia we'd like it to be unfortunately. This is the real world boys and girls.

"If a terrorist armed with a firearm or knife started attacking shoppers, the people criticising wouldn't be moaning, I'm sure."

Explaining the images, Northumbria Police said: "These patrols have begun following the announcement from the Home Office last year that armed patrols would be stepped up across the country.

"Our FSU officers are just regular police at the end of the day and if you have any concerns make sure you go and have a chat."