London Diaries: Hugh Brasher opines on London security, with comments from RunBlogRun

Eliud Kipchoge, photo by PhotoRun.net

LONDON (GBR): Hugh Brasher has said the terrorist threat for Sunday’s race is low, informs The Guardian. “At the moment London’s security risk is ‘severe’,” he said. “That security risk hasn’t changed over the last few years, even after the tragedy of Paris and Brussels. The threat to our event is low. That also hasn’t changed. We work very closely with the Metropolitan police, the emergency services, the boroughs and that dialogue is always ongoing.”

Larry Eder responds: The world did change after 9/11, but, by that time, the London Marathon had already taken many precautions to insure the protection of its fields and fans.

Boston 2013 did open all road races eyes to the need of security.

Part of the difference in the UK is a proper mixture of old fashioned police work and digital surveillance. Nothing is 100 percent safe, but the British approach with police and security teams on the street, use of digital surveillance, and an informed public make the event safter.