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| More armed police on London streets, say Met chief and mayor | More armed police on London streets, say Met chief and mayor |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| More armed police will be seen on London's streets from now on, Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan have said. | More armed police will be seen on London's streets from now on, Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan have said. |
| Sir Bernard said there would be more armed officers at well-known landmarks following terrorist attacks in Europe. | Sir Bernard said there would be more armed officers at well-known landmarks following terrorist attacks in Europe. |
| He said the aim was to reassure the public and deter would-be attackers. | He said the aim was to reassure the public and deter would-be attackers. |
| The Met has already announced it will increase the number of armed officers by 600, bringing the total to 2,800. | The Met has already announced it will increase the number of armed officers by 600, bringing the total to 2,800. |
| The latest announcement comes after 84 people were killed when a lorry ploughed into a large crowd watching a fireworks display in Nice in the south of France last month. | The latest announcement comes after 84 people were killed when a lorry ploughed into a large crowd watching a fireworks display in Nice in the south of France last month. |
| 'Foolish to ignore' | 'Foolish to ignore' |
| Sir Bernard said: "We have no intelligence that there will be an attack shortly but what we do know is what we have seen in western Europe. | Sir Bernard said: "We have no intelligence that there will be an attack shortly but what we do know is what we have seen in western Europe. |
| "We have seen attacks in Germany, in Belgium, in France and we would be foolish to ignore that, so it's important that we get officers out there with firearms to respond." | "We have seen attacks in Germany, in Belgium, in France and we would be foolish to ignore that, so it's important that we get officers out there with firearms to respond." |
| It comes after he told a newspaper that a terror attack on the UK is highly likely and a case of "when, not if". Writing in the Mail on Sunday, the Met chief said there was a "sense of fear" in Britain. | It comes after he told a newspaper that a terror attack on the UK is highly likely and a case of "when, not if". Writing in the Mail on Sunday, the Met chief said there was a "sense of fear" in Britain. |
| The commissioner said he wanted the increased firearms teams, trained to confront heavily-armed terrorists, to be visible and they would be patrolling randomly around the clock. | The commissioner said he wanted the increased firearms teams, trained to confront heavily-armed terrorists, to be visible and they would be patrolling randomly around the clock. |
| What are the numbers? | What are the numbers? |
| BBC home affairs correspondent June Kelly said recent terrorist atrocities in Europe, especially the Nice lorry attack, demonstrate the range of challenges facing front line officers | BBC home affairs correspondent June Kelly said recent terrorist atrocities in Europe, especially the Nice lorry attack, demonstrate the range of challenges facing front line officers |
| The terror threat level in the UK remains at severe, meaning an attack is "highly likely", our correspondent added. | The terror threat level in the UK remains at severe, meaning an attack is "highly likely", our correspondent added. |
| Mr Khan said: "It's really important that Londoners are reassured that the police service, that the security service, that all of us are doing our bit to keep Londoners in our city safe. | Mr Khan said: "It's really important that Londoners are reassured that the police service, that the security service, that all of us are doing our bit to keep Londoners in our city safe. |
| "That means Londoners will see more armed response officers, they will see more armed vehicles. | "That means Londoners will see more armed response officers, they will see more armed vehicles. |
| "The threat level hasn't changed but we are learning the lessons from Europe, from Nice, from Paris, from Munich." | "The threat level hasn't changed but we are learning the lessons from Europe, from Nice, from Paris, from Munich." |
| In Munich, Germany, nine people died in a shooting at a shopping centre in July while in November 2015, gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris. | In Munich, Germany, nine people died in a shooting at a shopping centre in July while in November 2015, gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris. |
| The Police Federation of England and Wales said counter-terrorism teams could be waiting for up to two years before the extra firearms officers promised to combat an attack are operational. | The Police Federation of England and Wales said counter-terrorism teams could be waiting for up to two years before the extra firearms officers promised to combat an attack are operational. |
| Chairman Steve White said the "best case scenario" would be two years to get the additional 1,500 officers in place. | |
| He said: "Some forces are getting volunteers coming forward, but they are not always being selected because they don't meet the criteria. | He said: "Some forces are getting volunteers coming forward, but they are not always being selected because they don't meet the criteria. |
| "It is vitally important that standards are maintained." | "It is vitally important that standards are maintained." |