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Boston Increases Security For Upcoming Events

BOSTON (CBS) -- While upcoming events around Boston have many excited, they have officials adding security measures.

The horrific scenes of a bombing in Manchester, England that left 22 dead outside an Ariana Grande concert are still fresh in everyone's mind.

At the TD Garden Thursday night, the Celtics hosted Game 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Officials asked fans to arrive early and leave extra time to go through security.  Boston Police lined the perimeter, and transit police were stationed all around inside.

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Transit Police inside the TD Garden for the Celtics game Thursday night (WBZ-TV)

Sara Gleason attended the game with her daughter and her daughter's friend.

"It gives you pause for thought. It makes you be more aware of your surroundings and what's going on around you," Gleason said about the increased security in light of Manchester. "But we can let this stop us from our lives."

 

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Security lines headed into the Celtics game Thursday night (WBZ-TV)

Jim Gleason added, "We have to trust our security. Period. Now I am just hoping everybody does what they are supposed to do and bottom line is respect."

Similar to the arena in Manchester, public transportation is attached to the venue. For this reason, police have been planning security measures for the week.

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Preparations are underway for Boston Calling on Harvard's athletic fields (WBZ-TV)

Across the city at Harvard's athletic fields, organizers are preparing for the weekend's three-day Boston Calling Music Festival. 40,000 fans are expected to attend each day.

Concert security will focus on the single entrance, where metal detectors will be placed.

Police also plan to line surrounding streets and the Harvard Bridge into the complex.

"So everybody just buckles down a little bit more, and takes some extra measures and the show goes on," said Brian Appel of Boston Calling.

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A sign about metal detectors is ready to be used during the Boston Calling festival this weekend (WBZ-TV)

"From that minute that somebody hits Harvard Square and comes all the way across to our main entrance, which is Gate 1 at Soldiers Field Road and North Harvard Street -- there is a police presence the whole way through," Appel continued.

Mike Snow, who was also working on the festival, commented on the Manchester attacks.

He said, "This is entertainment. You're supposed to come here to forget everything else and its a shame that some people use that to their advantage to do destructive things."

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