Sydney to erect barricades to prevent a likely vehicle attack
Sydney police said on Friday they will deploy concrete barricades in the city to prevent the risk of a vehicle attack by extremists.
Concrete barricades will be installed in prominent pedestrian-only thoroughfares to mitigate against the risk of vehicle attacks by extremists, Australian police say.
"A significant amount of work has been undertaken around vehicle mitigation strategies, including studies of world's best practice, which have been shared with all the relevant partners," the police spokesman said.
Although there was no specific threat to Sydney, according to police in New South Wales state, such measures were being considered in light of occured incidents across the world i.e.a van which ploughed into worshippers near a London mosque, the third attack in the city since March, a car crashed into New York city's Times square killing one and injuring 22.
The city was also looking into considering permanent measures, such as bollards, garden beds in Martin Place, headquarters of the Reserve Bank of Australia, The US consulate General, a hotel and various luxury retail outlets.
Sydney's city council stated they would be working with the police to determine if additional bollards or barricades were required in other public places.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that about 140 concrete bollards were erected in eight pedestrian locations around the centre of Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, to reduce the risk of militant acts.
Since 2015, Australia has been on a "high" national threat level in view of likely attacks by australians radicalised in Iraq and Syria.