In the coming weeks, heavy flower boxes, benches, and concrete rings with plants in them, will be placed on Karl Johan, not just as decoration, but as security measures against terrorism.
London defence chiefs warned last week against vehicular attacks on Karl Johans gate, and city council leader, Raymond Johansen of Arbeiderpartiet (Ap) said that action was on its way.
In consultation with the police, Oslo Municipality will now implement these measures. Barriers to access to Karl Johan will be placed, as well as at access points to Jernbanetorget, Lille Grensen and Arbeidergata.
The purpose is to prevent so-called ‘intentional vehicle attack’, as has been seen in, for example, Stockholm, Nice, London, and New York.
The municipality emphasised that there are no concrete threats to Oslo or these areas, but that the municipality, in cooperation with the police, and the Police Security Service (PST), have decided to implement these measures to be on the safe side.
‘Oslo must be a safe city. We can’t wallow in fear of terror, but we must prevent the possibility. This is the reason why the municipality is now implementing risk-reducing measures in parts of the city center’, said city council leader, Raymond Johansen, of Ap.
The physical barriers will be integrated into the cityscape as far as possible. An example of this are the already deployed flower beds along Karl Johan at the Parliament building.
In addition to the use of physical barriers, there will also be tightened rules for goods delivery, said the municipality.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
