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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Ahead of the 50th annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on Thursday, law enforcement officials shared their plans to keep the crowds safe for the big night.
Once again, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the 4th of July event held at the Hatch Memorial Shell on the Charles River Esplanade.
Read More: Boston Harborfest Celebrates City's History With Fireworks On Long Wharf
Law enforcement officials held a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the event, sharing updates on safety measures and potential threats.
"The FBI Boston is not aware of any specific or credible threats targeting the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular or any other July 4th festivities," said Jodi Cohen, the special agent in charge at the FBI Boston Field Office.
"That said, we must maintain a heightened state of vigilance given that we are home to many patriotic and historical landmarks, and this event is an attractive and symbolic target."
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She went on to describe the larger safety context around the event. "The threats we are facing from domestic, international, and state-sponsored terrorism actors are all elevated."
Cohen added, "But the law enforcement team standing here today is actively collecting and sharing intelligence about the possible threats in real-time so that we can make informed decisions on the best use of our resources should potential threats to public safety arise."
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Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart spoke to WBZ NewsRadio ahead of the performance on Thursday.
"The number of people who come to see this concert live... is more people than almost any other orchestra sees in the course of an entire year," he explained.
"It's a great time for us to make a connection with the people of Boston and beyond. And to see all those people living in peace and harmony on the Esplanade for a whole day, you wonder why we can't do better the other 364 days out of the year."
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Unlike in past years, when people could watch the July 3 rehearsal at the Hatch Memorial Shell a day before the real performance, the Boston Symphony Orchestra said that wasn't an option this year.
"Sadly, there are no plans. And we certainly know how beloved the July 3 rehearsal was. It comes down to a question of expense and security. As you can imagine, security is a rather expensive proposition, too," said a BSO spokesperson in a statement to WBZ NewsRadio.
Organizers will open the lawn at 12 p.m. on Thursday so attendees can stake their claim on the lawn space, said the BSO.
The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular is free to the public and is first-come, first-serve. The concert starts at 8 p.m., and the fireworks are set to begin at 10:30 p.m.
WBZ NewsRadio's Mike Macklin reports.
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