Premier League clubs "have been told to provide more prominent policing and a greater number of bag searches at this weekend’s fixtures," according to Matt Hughes of the LONDON TIMES. At a meeting of all 20 Premier League club secretaries on Monday to review security procedures in the light of the Paris terrorist attacks, senior police and Home Office representatives "briefed the clubs about their responsibilities." The revised guidelines "will be an extension of existing procedures" because the terrorist threat to the U.K. as rated by the Home Office remains at "severe." It is the second highest of five possible threat levels and rates the risk of an attack as "highly likely" (LONDON TIMES, 11/19). The PA reported EPL CEO Richard Scudamore said that top-flight clubs "are liaising with their local police forces to deliver extra security measures at matches this weekend." The league said there is a "heightened sense of awareness" after the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday and, though the threat level remains unchanged at severe, clubs have been briefed on the latest security advice. Security guidance "is provided to the league via the police from the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office" (PA, 11/19). In London, Jeremy Culley wrote the Met is not ruling out deploying armed officers again at the weekend, "as it did at Wembley for England’s friendly with France earlier in the week." Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Tottenham are at home, with London a prime target for ISIS, "after the attacks in six Paris locations by a cell led by Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who died in a police siege on Wednesday." Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Police "is drafting in more armed officers to be on standby on Saturday, when Manchester City play Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium" (DAILY STAR, 11/19).
SHOWING SOLIDARITY: The BBC reported the French national anthem -- La Marseillaise -- "will be played before this weekend's Premier League matches." A choral version "will be played after the coin toss, with players from both teams coming together with match officials in the centre circle." Scudamore described it as an act of "solidarity and remembrance" (BBC, 11/19).
'JE SUIS PARIS': In London, Tom Sheen wrote Paris St. Germain announced that it "will wear a special shirt to commemorate the 129 people killed in the Paris terror attacks on Friday." The reigning French champions "will have the slogan 'Je Suis Paris' [I am Paris] printed underneath the club badge and Ici C'est Paris [here is Paris] on the inside neckline for the match against Lorient at the Stade Yves Allainmat." The club is yet to state how long it will wear the message on its shirts (INDEPENDENT, 11/19).
