London (AFP) – Burnley became the first Premier League club to install security barriers to protect fans from Nice-style terrorist attacks at the weekend.
The barriers, which were used outside Turf Moor for Burnley’s 2-0 win over Swansea on Saturday, were installed in order to prevent terrorists from ramming vehicles into supporters making their way to the stadium.
“A series of hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) barriers will be installed ahead of and immediately after the match,” Burnley said in a statement ahead of the win.
Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes shot Burnley to seventh in the Premier League on Saturday, level on points with Liverpool and Arsenal, and with crowds flocking to Turf Moor the club used the barriers to safeguard security around the ground.
“These barriers are in place to halt any vehicles from entering Harry Potts Way (which runs alongside Turf Moor) and protect pedestrians as they make their way into and out of the stadium.”
Cyclists and wheelchair users can pass through the barriers, which can be dropped in under 30 seconds to enable access for the emergency services.
There have been numerous incidents where vehicles have been used for fatal attacks during the past few years, including in Nice, London and Barcelona.
Eighty-six people were killed when a 19-tonne cargo truck rammed through a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city Nice in July 2016.
Thirteen people were killed when a van drove into a crowd on Barcelona’s famous La Rambla street in August, and a similar attack in the London Bridge area of London in June led to eight deaths.
