Law enforcement will keep close watch on “a broad set of potential soft targets” at the Boston Marathon on April 21, according to a bulletin detailing security measures during the race.
Around 30,000 participants will race on April 21 as Boston Athletic Association, the event organizer, expecting more than 500,000 spectators along the course.
The bulletin, obtained by ABC News and reported on Monday, noted that law enforcement will focus its attention on race day on the parts of the course where the greatest amount of people will congregate, while watching vulnerable areas of Boston in addition to tunnels, pre-event gatherings and post-event celebrations.
The race, the 129th running of the marathon, comes 12 years after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings where three were killed and hundreds were injured as devices were detonated near the finish line.
Specific motives for aligning security measure in time for the race are also mentioned in the document.
The bulletin also revealed that the BAA’s decision to allow participants to selected “non-binary” as a gender during race registration could fuel motives for an attack.
“Following this announcement, individuals posting content consistent with racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism posted online calling for an attack on the 2023 Boston Marathon, according to an organization that tracks violent extremist activity online. Some of these individuals called for an attack similar to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings,” the bulletin read.
Meanwhile, several symbolic dates and anniversaries fall within the period of marathon week activities.
That include several incidents that took place in the third week of April like seize on the Branch Davidians’ compound in Waco, Texas on April 19, 1993, Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999 and Adolf Hitler’s birthday on April 20. Easter, Ramadan and Passover all fall with in April.
“The significance of these holidays and key dates may be viewed as an opportune time for acts of violence for many threat actors and it may serve as motivation to disrupt or attack the Boston Marathon or the surrounding areas along the route,” the bulletin said.
And while no announcement about possible credible threats has been made public, the bulletin illustrated that the numerous law enforcement agencies in Boston on race day should exercise heightened awareness.
“Absent a specific, actionable threat to the 129th Boston Marathon, the FBI and DHS I&A are providing indicators to aid law enforcement and first responders in identifying and mitigating threats,” the bulletin said.
