2017 gets off to a flying spark
Barriers and bollards in place to protect and reassure revellers as they celebrate around Britain
Crowds at Sydney’s opera house in Australia were among the first to welcome in 2017 as fireworks lit up skies across the globe. GMT countries enjoyed a slightly longer New Year with a ‘leap second’ added to account for the Earth’s rotation
RINGS of steel were erected around Britain’s cities yesterday to try to prevent Berlin and Nice-style lorry attacks ahead of mass New Year’s Eve parties.
London remained on continued, critical alert in advance of the annual New Year’s Day parade through the heart of the city that typically attracts crowds of half a million. Roads remain shut to traffic until 6pm.
More than 3,000 armed officers were deployed by Scotland Yard across the weekend amid growing fears over an Isil-inspired terrorist atrocity on British streets. A record number of concrete bollards were placed at crucial junctions, designed to thwart a copycat attack on London.
Huge metal barriers, as high as 10 feet, were in place around Westminster. Bollards and barriers were also put up in cities including Birmingham and Brighton, where they protected revellers on the seafront promenade.
Last night, a minister warned Isil could be planning a mass chemical attack on Britain. Security minister Ben Wallace said: “Experts have warned that their ambition is a mass casualty attack and they have no moral barrier to using whatever means possible.”
In July, 86 people died during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice when a lorry drove into crowds on the Promenade des Anglais. Then, on Dec 20, a truck driven by Anis Amri ploughed into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 and injuring 48.
Yesterday, Angela Merkel told German citizens in her televised New Year’s address that the biggest challenge the country faced was from Islamist terrorism. The German chancellor said: “It is particularly bitter and sickening when terror attacks are committed by people who claim to seek protection in our country.”
Donald Trump, the US presidentelect, tweeted a New Year’s greeting that was not entirely conciliatory: “Happy New Year to all, including my many enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don’t know what to do. Love!”
Despite the terror threat – or in defiance of it – hundreds of thousands of people were expected to flock to the Thames to witness the traditional endof-year festivities. Some 12,000 fireworks were due to be set off, lighting up the London skyline for 12 minutes. More than 110,000 tickets had been sold for the event with many more expected to watch from further afield.
Thousands of police officers were deployed last night to provide a protective ring around the set-piece fireworks display. Armed police were riding the capital’s Tube trains as they travelled between jobs in a move that is aimed at reassuring passengers.
Det Supt Phil Langworthy, of the Metropolitan Police, said: “We will also have some covert tactics. Overtly there’ll be a search regime in place at the fireworks, we will also have concrete barriers and other tactics to reassure the public that they can come and have a safe and enjoyable event.”
Police Scotland said there would be a “very visible police presence” at the Edinburgh Hogmanay street party. Divisional commander Chief Supt Kenny MacDonald said: “You can approach these officers at any time if you require assistance or have witnessed any form of suspicious activity.”
Greater Manchester Police also said it was stepping up crowd protection in the wake of the Berlin attack. British Transport Police (BTP) said it would be extending officers’ working hours on the night for a second year running in London. BTP Supt Andy Morgan said: “We developed and improved our security plan for last year’s New Year’s Eve event following the atrocities in Paris in the previous November and we have, of course, had a thorough security boost following events in Nice in July.”
In Paris, Madrid and New York, concrete barriers and heavy goods vehicles were being used to block off central squares where crowds gather to celebrate. Some 17,000 police officers were on duty in the Turkish city of Istanbul, with some disguised as Santa Claus and street vendors, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
The celebrations kicked off without alarm in time zones ahead of the UK. Auckland was the first of the world’s major cities to usher in 2017 with a fireworks display followed by Sydney, which paid tribute to Prince and David Bowie, who died in 2016.
Sydney’s fireworks co-producer Catherine Flanagan said: “Celebrating their music as part of Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks displays is an opportunity to reflect on the year that has been and what the future may hold.”