LONDON (Reuters) - British emergency services are prepared for possible attacks on public events over an upcoming holiday weekend but have no information on specific threats after Monday's bomb attack in Manchester which killed 22, a government minister said.
Monday is a public holiday in Britain, and the weekend sees a number of high-profile events such as the soccer FA Cup final in London on Saturday.
Security minister Ben Wallace said reports that hospitals had been told to be prepared for the weekend were part of a general heightened sense of security and not a response to specific intelligence.
"That is predominantly precautionary... There is no specific threat against an individual event," Ben Wallace said on BBC radio.
He also said police were confident of rolling up a network of people involved in Monday's attacks, and said the government needed tools to force companies such as Facebook to remove dangerous online material more quickly.
Further to the minister's comment, the Metropolitan Police released the following statement this morning:
"London is a busy and vibrant place to be on any given weekend and this weekend will be no different as the city plays host to a range of top class sporting fixtures and other events," said Chief Superintendent Jon Williams.
"Since the change in threat level we have increased our policing levels and deployed a range of different operations and tactics to best protect the Capital. Policing operations for each event have been thoroughly reviewed with the organisers and we’ve put in place extra measures and officers.
"We are doing everything we can to keep London safe."
Extra armed officers, freed up by military support providing static guarding at key locations, will be on duty. They will be carrying out foot patrols with borough and specialist colleagues, or roving patrols in cars. There will also be additional armed officers at some of the events planned in London across the weekend.
The public will have seen more police officers than normal over the last few days as they travel to work, socialise or holiday in the Capital, which will continue for as long as it is necessary.
Chief Superintendent Williams added:
"We are working closely with both the Football Association (FA) and Wembley to ensure this weekend’s iconic football matches pass off without incident. Together we have a long history of delivering safe and secure major sporting events.
"The focus is the safety and security of fans. Anyone coming to the FA Cup Final or the other play off matches over the weekend will see an increase in police numbers in and around the stadium.
"This will include extra armed officers on foot patrol around the environs of the Stadium, and the deployment of police armoured vehicles to support road closures.
"At Twickenham rugby fans will see more armed officers on foot around the stadium.
"If you have a ticket for any of the matches please help us out. Arrive earlier as there will be additional security and entry searches which may take a bit longer than fans are used to.
"Our operations will include a range of highly visible but also covert and discrete tactics and this will run far beyond the final whistle and away from specific stadia. This will also apply right throughout the transport network.
"Our operation across London is also designed to move around from location to location - focusing on popular areas where people gather and events that may not have previously had a police presence.
"All of this is designed to make the policing approach unpredictable and to make London as hostile an environment as possible to terrorists."
"I would ask people to be our eyes and ears - if you see something suspicious tell a police officer or member of security staff.
"If you are out in London this weekend or at an event talk to our officers, they are there to reassure, help and keep you safe."
Whilst all policing operations in London are routinely planned to the backdrop of a severe threat level from terrorism, specialist officers from our event planning teams and protective security experts reviewed in detail all the plans for the events this weekend.
This includes smaller events which may not have had a police presence seeing a greater focus. Working with partners the MPS is reaching out to event organisers through licensing officers to ensure that they are given the latest protective security advice to keep their music and other events as safe as can be.
Anyone concerned about suspicious behaviour, or who has information they believe may help police, should call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline 0800 789 321. They do not have to give their name and all information received via the hotline is confidential.
SEE ALSO: Trips to DIY stores and a rented flat: How Salman Abedi built the bomb that killed 22 in Manchester
Join the conversation about this story »
NOW WATCH: Here's why the American flag is reversed on military uniforms