There will be more armed police on our streets after the Prime Minister announced the decision to raise the national threat level from severe to critical following yesterday’s terror attack on the London Underground.
The assessment is that a further attack may be imminent and the police have asked for authorisation from the Secretary of State for Defence to enact part of the first phase of Operation Temperer.
In a statement last night, Theresa May said that this is a well-established plan to provide military support to the police and for this period military personnel will replace police officers on guard at certain protected sites which are not accessible to the public.
“The public will see more armed police on the transport network and on our streets providing extra protection.”
Following the announcement, GMP’s Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said:
“Today’s awful attack in London will understandably have had a profound impact on those not only living or working in the capital, but also communities across the nation.
“Innocent people including children, parents, grandparents, siblings and loved ones would have been on that train and were no doubt utterly terrified by what they faced. My thoughts are with them and anyone who has been affected by this cowardly attack.
“At times like this we must send a clear message that we will continue to stand together and not live our lives in fear of these atrocities.
“There is no specific intelligence to suggest that an attack on Greater Manchester is imminent but following the decision to raise the threat level to critical, people will see an increase in unarmed and armed officers.
“There will also be extra officers at Manchester Arena’s Saturday night concert to provide visible reassurance to those attending, whilst we will look at plans for Sunday’s football fixture at Old Trafford.
“We will continue to monitor the situation to provide an appropriate response to keep our communities safe, as well as our deployment.
“I would ask you all to please remain vigilant. It is becoming increasingly vital that anyone who has any concerns about suspected terrorist activity should contact police as a matter of a priority.
“If you see anything that seems suspicious or worries you, please call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321. Always dial 999 in an emergency.”
