(Newswire.net — December 25, 2016) —France-Presse reports that in France 91,000 police officers, gendarmes and soldiers will be in charge of security in public places, including churches and fairs.
Minister of the Interior of the French Republic Bruno Le Roux said that the threat is strong, but that their response has never been stronger.
In the past two years, terrorist attacks in this country have killed more than 230 people, and the country has been in state of emergency for more than a year now.
Security measures were raised to the highest level in Italy and the Vatican as well. Rome officials have banned entry of vehicles in the city center, and introduced anti-terror police officers wearing masks and machine guns.
In the Vatican, where Pope Francis held a Christmas evening mass in St. Peter’s Cathedral, police and military vehicles covered the church’s surroundings in the range of 300 feet.
In Milan and other Italian cities, security measures have also been increased, especially around religious buildings.
In Belgium, which has repeatedly been the target of terrorist attacks, the security level was raised because of the danger of probable attacks.
The streets in front of Buckingham Palace in London will be closed during the change of guards, and the measure was further increased after the truck attack at the Christmas market in Berlin on December 19th, where 12 people were killed.
London Police are also considering additional security measures as it was estimated that there is a high likelihood of a terrorist attack. Security measures are also raised to a higher level in Manchester.
Hungary has also increased security measures in places where many citizens are gathering, such as Christmas markets. Austria applied the same security procedures.
In order to protect citizens and tourists from terrorist attacks, like the one in Berlin, Russia has introduced extraordinary security measures. Moscow police announced that they will use trucks to block parts of the city in which festive public gatherings occur to put its residents at ease.