How the Weaponisation of Cultural Heritage Has Become a Standard Part of 21st Century Warfare and What it Means for the UK

In the near future the UK could be an unwilling participant in a state-on-state conflict that will result in broad physical destruction, not just of critical national infrastructure, but the UK's cultural heritage. As demonstrated in conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, cultural heritage is another frontline target in the battle for national identity. This paper is not intended to address the 'how' of cultural property protection but look at the more theoretical problem of whether the UK is in a position to address the issues of protection for its own heritage. The military will surely be involved in the protection of UK cultural heritage but in what capacity is yet unclear. However, successful military support to civil authorities has already have been demonstrated in the last national and global crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic. Military activity in this situation was not applied to leading, but supporting and enabling civilian activity, bringing core military skills such as planning and analysis to bear quickly. However, failure to plan, failure to engage with key stakeholders, and failure to prepare for the worst scenario will result in the failure of UK CPP and the loss of a nation's heritage. Preparedness measures must be conducted now.