It's the nature of the modern city and of our interconnected world that Monday's attacks in Boston spurred near-instantaneous reactions in other major cities (and the reactions, as well as the words of President Obama and the well-wishes that have poured in, once and for all dispel the doubt that Boston is one of the world's major cities). Here is what happened in some other metropolises Monday afternoon:
· In New York, hundreds of counterterrorism and other police swarmed landmarks like the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center.
· In Los Angeles, Washington, Detroit, San Diego and Las Vegas, police stepped over their monitoring of transit hubs as well as landmarks and sporting events. (In California as a whole, officials activated the state's threat assessment system, a vestige of 9/11).
· The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach as well as L.A.'s airports were on a "heightened state of vigilance."
· In London, officials along with police began reviewing security plans for Sunday's London Marathon.
· In Washington, there was not only the scramble of the federal government, but the Secret Service blocked off key government buildings and tightened security around points like the White House.
· And in Champaign-Urbana, Ill., officials were fielding worried calls about the Illinois Marathon on Wednesday. They may bring in bomb-sniffing dogs.
Hearing from people in other cities? Let us know what they're saying about their towns' reactions.
· Boston Marathon Blasts Put World's Cities on Alert [AP]
· Cities Worldwide Step up Security After Twin Blasts at Boston Marathon [Washington Post]