After terror attacks in Spain NRW cities increase security measures
BONN · After the terrorist attacks in Spain, state authorities have been challenged with securing areas that are heavily frequented. Here are some measures being taken in cities throughout NRW.
Armed with a white van, a terrorist crashed onto the promenade at Las Ramblas in Barcelona, killing 13 people. The most recent attacks in Spain have prompted North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) to zero in on security in NRW's cities. He has ordered police authorities to confer with local authorities about possible further safeguards at major events. Some cities are already stepping up security measures:
On Tuesday, the City of Cologne said it would set up mobile barriers at two access points. In addition, authorities would examine the barriers that already block off areas around the central train station and if necessary, these would be reinforced. Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker planned to present more details on Wednesday.
In Neuss, a big marksmen’s festival takes place this Friday, August 25, with up to one million visitors expected. Main attractions on the fairgrounds have already been set up. What is still missing are the concrete barriers and mobile trucks which will be situated on access roads to protect visitors against a possible terrorist attack. These are to be put up on Friday, the day of the opening of the festival, which is the largest of its kind in Germany. "We have already reworked our security concept after the attacks in Nice and Berlin and have now once again revisited it," said a spokesman for the City of Neuss.
City of Münster wants to install retractable bollards
Even before the latest attacks in Spain, the city of Münster decided to permanently protect the large event areas in the city against terrorist car attacks. Since the attacks in Nice and Berlin last year, entrances to major events have been blocked with containers or trucks, according to official Wolfgang Heuer.
But the city would like to replace this provisional set-up and has conceptualized a permanent plan. It plans to install retractable pollards at 13 places in the city. The steel barriers, operated by hydraulics, could secure the most important places in the city. The city council is expected to make a decision on the implementation in September. With a cost of around one million euros, the project would take two to three years.
In Duisburg, mobile barriers have been set up to secure Königstrasse in the city center. They are in the form of water tanks, placed at entrances, providing not only visual protection but also creating a breaking mechanism for speeding vehicles. The city has also drawn up a concept for a permanent construction to secure the inner city.
In the NRW state capital of Düsseldorf, where a large number of major events take place, security concepts are being considered for the city center. A city spokesperson said the administration was working together with several other departments on a security concept for the inner city area, which included structural elements. Existing concepts would be constantly checked and adjusted as necessary.
The City of Bonn could not yet comment on possible new measures to be taken. The press office said on Wednesday that a meeting was planned with police on this subject.
Orig. text: Johanna Heinz, Christian Schwerdtfeger
Translation: ckloep
