London – Britain welcomes 2016 with a 10-minute fireworks display on the River Thames in London and a rendition of Auld Lang Syne. Security measures were tight in the city, as they have been across Europe following fears of terrorist attacks. Additional police officers and army troops were called in order to ensure safety. Scotland Yard dispersed a total of 3,000 officers patrolling the downtown area of London, considered the biggest ever mobilization of police personnel in the new year celebration.Police spokesman Jo Edwards said, “We are doing everything possible to let the party go on smoothly and safely. It is purely precautionary measures and not the result of specific intelligence.”
Meanwhile, fireworks and other planned year-end events in Brussels’ Grand Place in Belgium and Paris’ Champs-Elysées in France were canceled. The atmosphere is also tense in other European cities like Berlin’s Brandenburg in Germany and Madrid’s Puerta Del Sol plaza in Spain where important actions taken in the light of possible terrorist attacks.
