- Prime Minister Theresa May raised the terror threat level in Britain from “severe” to “critical,” late Tuesday. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said military personnel will join additional police officers on the streets to safeguard London. A lone attacker killed at least 22 people by using an improvised bomb at an Ariana Grande pop concert in Manchester on May 22. London was hit by a terrorist attack two months ago.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is going to add more police officers and armed officers to London’s streets this week, following the bombing of an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.
Khan said in a statement that now that the national threat level has been raised to “critical,” “there will be additional police officers on London’s streets over the coming days – including additional armed officers. You will also see some military personnel around London – they are there to help our police service to keep us safe and guard key sites.”
On May 22 around 10:30 p.m. BST (5:30 p.m. ET), a suspected bomber named as Salman Abedi, killed at least 22 people, some of them children, by using an improvised bomb in the foyer of a pop concert in the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.
Fifty nine others were also injured and all the victims have not yet been named by authorities.
Late on May 23, Prime Minister Theresa May said that the terror threat level in Britain has been increased from "severe" to "critical" after review by the independent organisation the Joint Terrorism Analysis Center.
The increased threat level means "not only that an attack remains highly likely, but that a further attack may be imminent," May said. She added "the work undertaken today has revealed that it is a possibility we cannot ignore that there is a wider group of individuals linked to this attack."
Here is Khan's full statement:
"The national threat level has now been raised to 'critical' on the advice of security experts in the aftermath of the barbaric terrorist attack on Manchester. This is the highest level of security preparedness in the UK.
"I want to reassure all Londoners and visitors that we are doing everything possible to protect our city. As your Mayor, I am in constant contact with the Metropolitan Police and we are liaising closely with the Government and security services.
"Our emergency services prepare day in, day out for these situations. Our plans are well rehearsed and well prepared. I would urge all Londoners and visitors to remain calm and vigilant, and to report anything suspicious to the police.
"There will be additional police officers on London's streets over the coming days - including additional armed officers. You will also see some military personnel around London - they are there to help our police service to keep us safe and guard key sites.
"London stands in solidarity with the people of Manchester. Those who seek to harm and divide us through barbaric acts of terrorism will never succeed. We will never be cowed by terrorism."
The Manchester attack comes only two months after London was hit by a terrorist attack. So far, six people including the attacker died and around 40 were injured after a car drove into dozens of people on crowded Westminster Bridge and an attacker tried to break into Parliament with a knife.