After Strasbourg’s tragic events last Tuesday, Montois authorities have decided to strengthen security measures in areas of local festivities, Mons’s Regional Police said. An urgent security meeting was held Wednesday between the mayor of Mons and the direction of the Mons-Quévy police zone. The aim of the meeting was to reassess the local threat, and to adopt additional security measures.
While the national threat level is maintained at level 2, Montois authorities decided to reinforce the security for the Mons’s Christmas Market, which is mainly set up on the Mons’s Grand Place.
Specifically, both visible and non-visible police presence, as well as the arming of police patrols, will be enhanced around local festive areas. The Christmas Market perimeter will also be reinforced by means of fixed obstacles. Peace officers and organizers will be especially vigilant, so as to detect suspicious behavior and objects; same with the police teams, which will increase their vigilance in all highly frequented places.
Moreover, the access hours to the Grand Place in Mons for vehicles have been changed. Bollards will be raised as of 5 pm on week days, and 10:30 am on weekends and holidays.
The Brussels Times
