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BOSTON (AP) — Police have stepped up patrols near the Boston Marathon finish line, a day after a masked man walked in the street with a rice cooker in his backpack.
The man was arrested just hours after the city marked yesterday's anniversary of last year's deadly bombing.
Today, Kayvon Edson was in court, arraigned on charges including possession of a hoax device. A judge ordered him to be evaluated at a state psychiatric hospital. According to a police report that was read in court, Edson said the cooker was "symbolism," and added, "The performance got the best of me." His mother says Edson has battled bipolar disorder for many years, and that his mental state has deteriorated.
Authorities don't consider the episode to be a security breach. And they're expressing confidence in the heightened security measures for Monday's marathon -- while acknowledging the challenge of protecting an estimated one million spectators and 36,000 runners across the 26.2-mile course in eight communities.
Security plans include thousands of uniformed police, hundreds of plainclothes officers and about 100 strategically-positioned video cameras that will monitor the crowds.
Police are strongly discouraging spectators from bringing backpacks.
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172-a-13-(Susan Terrey, lawyer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at court hearing for Kevin 'Kayvon' Edson)-"best of me"-Government attorney Susan Terrey says Kevin Edson told police his actions were part of a performance. (16 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *172 (04/16/14)££ 00:13 "best of me"
173-a-08-(Susan Terrey, lawyer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at court hearing for Kevin 'Kayvon' Edson)-"down the other"-Government attorney Susan Terrey says the rice cooker wasn't the only thing police found in Edson's backpack. (16 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *173 (04/16/14)££ 00:08 "down the other"
155-a-13-(Kurt Schwartz, director, Massachusetts Emegency Management Agency, at news conference)-"to do this"-Massachusetts Emegency management Agency Director Kurt Schwartz says the public is being asked to follow some simple guidelines for this year's race. (16 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *155 (04/16/14)££ 00:13 "to do this"
APPHOTO MACK105: Boston Police officer John Quinn walks with, Miller, his bomb detection canine, over the finish line while sweeping the area in preparation for the Boston Marathon, Wednesday, April 16, 2014, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (16 Apr 2014)
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APPHOTO MABOD503: With his attorney, Shannon Lopez, left, beside him Kevin Edson is arraigned in Boston Municipal Court, Wednesday, April 16 2014, in Boston. Edson was arrested Tuesday near the Boston Marathon finish line carrying a backpack containing a rice cooker on the anniversary of the bombings. Edson was sent to a state psychiatric facility for an evaluation Wednesday following his initial court appearance and ordered held on $100,000 bail. He is due back in court on May 7. (AP Photo/The Boston Globe, Wendy Maeda, Pool) (16 Apr 2014)
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