Security at tonight’s Oscars ceremony has been dramatically increased following an FBI alert, with snipers armed with .50-caliber rifles positioned on rooftops near the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The heightened measures come after warnings about Iran’s desire to launch a drone strike in California, as well as the possible activation of sleeper agents on American soil.
SWAT teams have been drafted in to counter any drone threats, including those capable of carrying explosive devices. A source said: “The authorities are always super-vigilant but events of the last week means things have been dialled up even more. It’s hard to imagine a more protected Oscars ceremony.”
A-list stars arriving at the event are being driven in a zig-zag pattern around concrete barriers, a tactic employed in the Middle East to prevent vehicles from being used as weapons. Undercover officers and counterterrorism units from the LAPD, FBI and Homeland Security are stationed throughout the area, while bomb squads are also deployed. A one-mile security cordon is in place.
Reports surfaced this week via an FBI memo about Iran’s wish to “conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States Homeland…specifically against unspecified targets in California.” The memo was passed to the LAPD, who emphasise there is currently no specific or credible threat tied to the Oscars, but heightened vigilance is necessary.
Academy Awards bosses have promised that they “want everybody to feel safe and protected” at the awards. During a press conference, Oscars telecast executive producers Katy Mullan and Raj Kapoor confirmed the ceremony will have increased security. “We have the support of the FBI and the LAPD, and it’s a close collaboration,” Kapoor said. “This show has to run like clockwork. But we want everybody that is coming to this show, that is witnessing the show, that is even a fan of the show when they’re standing outside the barricades, we want everybody to feel safe and protected and welcome.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said they remain at an elevated level of readiness, working closely with federal and local partners to monitor potential threats, including lone-actor attacks, sleeper cells, and cyber-related threats. Similar levels of security were implemented after the 9/11 attacks and the Charlie Hebdo massacre in 2015.
