London Marathon To Take Place As Planned As Show Of Solidarity For Boston

The London Marathon will go on as planned, with British officials saying they plan the race to be a show of solidarity for Boston.

After twin explosions rocked the Boston Marathon on Monday, killing three people and injuring more than 170, fears for other large events were heightened. There was some concern that, on such a short time frame, organizers for the London Marathon may have to cancel the race, as the city has been a target for terrorism before.

But British sports minister Hugh Robertson said the London Marathon will go on as usual, a way to show “we won’t be cowered by this sort of behavior.”

“The best way for us to react is to push ahead with the marathon on Sunday, to get people on the streets and to celebrate it as we always do in London,” Robertson told the BBC on Tuesday.

“These are balanced judgments but we are absolutely confident here that we can keep the event safe and secure. I think this is one of those incidents where the best way to show solidarity with Boston is to continue and send a very clear message to those responsible.”

The Boston Marathon explosions forced the cancellation of other Boston sporting events including contests for the Bruins and Celtics.

Extra precautions are planned for the London Marathon and its runners, said its chief executive Nick Bitel.

“The London Marathon will be in touch with the runners through their email and they will hear from us on a daily basis in that way. We will try to keep updating our runners throughout this period.”

The London Marathon has also planned a tribute to those killed and injured in the Boston Marathon explosions. Organizers said there will be a 30-second moment of silence before each start time, and participants are being encouraged to wear black ribbons.