By David Shepardson
(Reuters) – The city of New Orleans had begun replacing security barriers along Bourbon Street before Wednesday’s truck attack, which killed at least 10 people and wounded more than 30.
In response to vehicle attacks on pedestrian malls around the world, New Orleans was in the process of removing and replacing the barriers known as bollards that restrict vehicle traffic in the Bourbon Street pedestrian zone. The barriers had been first installed in 2017 ahead of the NBA All Star game as part of a $40 million security plan.
NOLA.com reported on Wednesday that an old barrier at the crosswalk of Canal and Bourbon streets was removed a few weeks ago and equipment for a replacement was in place. The newspaper quoted Bob Simms, who oversees security initiatives for the French Quarter Management District, saying the older barriers were “very ineffective.”
A 2017 report commissioned by the city noted that the French Quarter “is often densely packed with pedestrians and represents an area where a mass casualty incident could occur.”
The reported said the “area also presents a risk and target area for terrorism that the FBI has identified as a concern that the City must address.”
New Orleans, which first installed bollards following other vehicular attacks around the globe, said it was now installing removable, stainless-steel bollards that can be securely locked behind each crosswalk.
According to the city’s website, the project is to be completed by late January, in time for the Feb. 9 NFL Super Bowl being played about a mile away at New Orleans’ Superdome.
New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver in the New Year’s Day attack was able to drive around barricades. “Because of the intentional mindset of this perpetrator — who went around the barricades in order to conduct this — he was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” she said.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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