ARMED police will be deployed at Saturday’s Scottish Cup final, as Police Scotland urgently review security at a number of high-profile events, including the visit to Edinburgh of former US president Barack Obama.
More than 50,000 fans will be at Hampden for the match between Aberdeen and Celtic, while in the capital 30,000 runners are expected for the two-day annual Edinburgh Marathon Festival.
With it being a bank holiday, it’s a busy weekend throughout Scotland, with music festivals in Glasgow and family events all over the country.
Obama will attend charity dinner organised by the Hunter Foundation on Friday.
Addressing MSPs, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there was no intelligence to suggest an attack in Scotland, but police would still significantly increase the deployment of armed officers. They were on duty at train stations and key sites all over Scotland yesterday.
Sturgeon said the Scottish Government’s priority was to work with the force to ensure “all appropriate protective and precautionary measures are being taken”.
She added: “It is important to emphasise that at this stage the security threat level remains unchanged at severe. I also want to stress that, at this time, there is no intelligence of any increased threat or risk to Scotland.”
Sturgeon said police and the Scottish Football Association would undertake a full review of the Scottish Cup final to “ensure that there is an appropriate deployment of police officers”.
Chief Constable Phil Gormley said: “My thoughts and those of everyone at Police Scotland are with those who have lost loved ones or who were injured in the attack in Manchester. As part of the UK-wide response to these events, Police Scotland continues to review all safety and security plans and operations.
“This includes ensuring our armed policing and specialist resources are appropriately deployed. People will therefore see armed police on patrol at transport hubs and crowded places.
Scotland Yard announced extra armed police would patrol the English Cup final at Wembley and the rugby final at Twickenham.
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