‘We can’t deliver zero risk, but we can make it harder for terrorists’: EU pledges millions to guard cities against attacks

After a dozen cases in Europe of drivers using vehicles to plough into pedestrians authorities have struggled to protect public spaces

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A policeman hugs a boy and his family that he helped during the terrorist attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona. Photo: AP

Published: 10:29pm, 18 Oct 2017Updated: 10:29pm, 18 Oct 2017

The European Commission pledged €118.5 million (US$139.2 million) on Wednesday to help Europe’s cities guard against attacks and outlined how EU countries could do more to curb the sale of bomb-making materials.

After a dozen cases in Europe of drivers using vehicles to plough into pedestrians, like the August attack in Barcelona, authorities have struggled to protect public spaces without disrupting cities’ open character or busting tight budgets.

Security Commissioner Julian King said €18.5 million of EU funding would be made available this year and €100 million in 2018 to help redesign cities to mitigate the risks.

“We can’t stop all attacks, we can’t deliver zero risk, but we can make it harder and harder for terrorists,” King told a news conference. “We believe we can take action to make public spaces less vulnerable without fundamentally changing their nature.”

People gather at a memorial where a van crashed into pedestrians in Barcelona. The EU has pledged millions of dollars to try to guard cities against such attacks. Photo: Reuters

The EU executive wants cities to come up with “innovative solutions” to protect buildings and crowded spaces that could be copied elsewhere. These could include changes to the design of a public space, lighting or public awareness campaigns.