UK: Tour de France cycle race under heavy security in London on anniversary of 7/7 attacks

Record ID: 730736

  • Title: UK: Tour de France cycle race under heavy security in London on anniversary of 7/7 attacks
  • Date: 7th July 2007
  • Summary: CLOSE OF LONDON TOUR DE FRANCE BANNER DECORATING TEMPOARY PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE / POLICE RE-DIRECTING TRAFFIC
  • Embargoed: 22nd July 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9MC7RUN1QCK5LLXZYMWI0MMH0
  • Story Text: Security is high in London as the city prepares for the Tour de France and the Live Earth concert on the same day which marks the second anniversary of an attack on London's transport system, which killed 52 people. Police blocked roads and used sniffer dogs as of thousands of sport and music fans descended into London on Saturday (July 7) for a busy weekend which includes first start of de Tour de France from the British capital.
    July 7 marks the second anniversary of an attack on London in which 52 people were killed and more than 700 injured by four suicide bombers on three underground trains and a bus.
    London has been under heavy security, and its threat level has been set at "critical" ,again, since two car bombs were found in central London on Friday (June 29) and members of a suspected al-Qaeda cell attacked an airport in Scotland on Saturday (June 30), triggering a manhunt reaching as far as Australia.
    However this has not daunted the enthusiasm of visitors and residents.
    "No I don't think they should be fearful at all. If you allow yourself to be fearful, to come into central London which is a beautiful place then you're just letting them win aren't you? There is there is, nothing to actually suggest that anything is going to happen today. We've had two 7/7s now with absolutely nothing happened. And I mean there are lots of policemen down in tube stations and places like that, I don't feel fearful, they know what they're doing," said Christopher Taylor.
    The Tour de France is set to go through key landmarks in London starting at Whitehall past the Prime Minister's residence, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and Hyde Park as the competitors complete an eight kilometre lap of central London, preceding Stage One of the race.
    It is the first time that the Tour has been being staged in London. The Tour last visited British shores in 1994, but has never included London.
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