New Security Measures for Berlin Christmas Market Following Attack in 2016

New Security Measures for Berlin Christmas Market Following Attack in 2016

The site of Berlin's devastating 2016 truck attach has now become a testing area for heavy security.

Two years after the deadly attack on a Berlin Christmas market that left 12 people dead officials are stepping up security and adding barricades to ensure the attendees of the country's festivities are safe this year.

Berlin police have installed 160 giant, square, lattice-work frames on the perimeter of Charlottenbury's Breitscheidplatz, the site of the fatal attack. Large sand and stone filled bags have been lowered into each frame, which have all been bolted to the next to form a long row. Narrow access pointes have been protected with extra bollards.

During the market, private guards will patrol the grounds, joined by a heavy presences of uniformed and plainclothes police officers. 

The Berlin State has said the elaborate $2.9 million installation will provide "unprecedented protection" against trucks weighing up to 40 tons.

Authorities believe this will become the blueprint of protection for future public events. The barriers are meant to be reusable and will become the property of the police after the market ends. 

"This year is quite different from the years before," Uwe Timm, CEO of working group AG City, told the dpa news agency on Thursday. "This time it was mainly about the question of how to combine the comfort of a visit with security. Despite increased security measures, the accessibility for visitors is guaranteed, for example via the surrounding multistory car parks, which are all accessible, or public transport."

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.