(AP) — London police will institute road closures in the area surrounding Buckingham Palace when the popular Changing the Guard military ceremony is taking place — a security measure rushed into place because of the deadly Christmas market truck attack in Berlin.
Police said Tuesday the change in procedure had been planned but is being speeded up. The closures and the new physical barriers are set to be in place by Wednesday.
The Changing the Guard has long been popular with tourists and police say it is a high-profile event that attracts large crowds at an iconic location.
Under the new plan, road closures will be in place for nearly two hours when the guards are changed in front of the palace in central London. Police said the change is "a precautionary measure" for the next three months and is not based on any specific intelligence.
The threat level in Britain is judged to be "severe," meaning an attack is highly likely.
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