No threat to Toronto Marathon after Boston bombings: Chief Blair
Posted April 16, 2013 1:47 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Organizers of next month’s Toronto Marathon met with police on Tuesday to go over security preparations in light of Monday’s attacks in Boston.
The race is set for May 5. The Mississauga Marathon also goes May 5.
“We plan to do a full safety review with our own team as well as speak with Toronto police,” marathon race director Jay Glassman said Tuesday morning, adding between 200 and 300 paid duty officers will work the event.
Three people were killed and more than 170 others were injured when two bombs went off near the finish line at the Boston Marathon on Monday afternoon. No arrests have been made and no groups have claimed responsibility for the attack.
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair said there’s nothing to indicate an increased threat in the city.
“We certainly will be looking at our security arrangements, not just for marathons, but … any crowd situation, any place where people gather,” he said during a meeting at city hall.
Approximately 14,000 runners are expected to participate in the Toronto Marathon, which is a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon.
“Hundreds qualified at our event last year and we expect hundreds more will qualify at the event this year for Boston,” Glassman said.
After the Boston attacks, some members of the Toronto running community plan to meet at Queen’s Park at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday for what’s being billed as a Run for Peace.
And running coach Megan Brown was organizing a separate event in Toronto.
“If we don’t carry on with our purest joyful activities such as running I think it’s only letting whoever was behind the actions yesterday win,” said Brown. “We need to carry on with life, especially parts of our life that are joyful.”
“We’re forced to mourn the loss of our safety in some respects. No runner would ever say they fear their safety on a marathon course and now that’s going to change forever.”
“But I think it’s only going to strengthen our conviction for running and the human spirit.”
With files from The Canadian Press
