The authorities have made the correct decision to allow England’s match against France at Wembley to go ahead. The deployment of armed police at the stadium reflects the heightened tension in Europe following the attacks in Paris, but in the absence of information suggesting there is a specific threat to the friendly match, the decision to arm police has little to do with strengthening security, and more to do with reassuring the thousands of visiting fans.
I wouldn’t have any reservations about attending the game at Wembley and strongly support the argument that the match should continue in defiance of the terrorists’ actions. The UK’s threat level may be at severe but it has been regarded as such since August last year.
The decision by the Belgian FA to cancel their friendly match against Spain is regrettable, but understandable in light of the recent acknowledgement that the country’s intelligence officers are struggling to keep tabs on suspected Islamists. Thankfully the situation is considered to be different in the UK.
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