Paris attacks: Tensions run high in Canary Wharf amid heightened security

Tensions are running high in one of Europe's major financial centres in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris. Workers have told IBTimes UK that security staff in Canary Wharf have implemented new measures, which we have decided not to disclose, in the wake of the Islamic State- (Isis-) linked assaults in the French capital on 13 November.

A security manager for the iconic CitiGroup Centre declined to comment on the situation and the Canary Wharf Group, which owns property in the district, had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication. But a security guard on the streets of the financial centre described it as "business as usual".

However, staff in the area were spooked when KPMG's building was evacuated as part of a fire drill. Martyn MacKenzie, a tax adviser at the Big Four auditor, said on Twitter: "Fire alarm at work – good few thousand people sent to stand in an open area in Canary Wharf. If it's a drill, they could've timed it better."

Alex Lowy, a marketing executive at Standard & Poor's rating services, added on the social media site: "What better way to cause mass panic in Canary Wharf than for KPMG to have a fire drill and evacuate all their staff? Nice timing, guys."

What better way to cause mass panic in Canary Wharf than for KPMG to have a fire drill and evacuate all their staff? Nice timing, guys.

— Sulk Hogan (@AlexLowy) November 16, 2015

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police have urged the public to be vigilant in the wake of the Paris attacks. Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the force's commissioner, said they would deploy extra "high-visibility patrols" in key locations across London as part of a reassurance exercise.

"We have developed appropriate tactics to deal with a firearms attack in London, but we will, of course, urgently review our approach in the light of last night's act of terrorism in Paris," he said.

"The scale of the attacks and the range of weaponry used by the terrorists are a serious cause for concern. But the public can be reassured that our firearms officers are trained to deal with this kind of incident and we are constantly evolving new ways to combat the threats to public safety."