SQ boosts Jacques Cartier security
To prevent a scenario like the recent attack in Nice, the Sûreté du Québec increased security on the Jacques-Cartier bridge Wednesday night during the International des Feux Loto-Québec.
Police put two tow trucks at an angle on each side of the bridge to block the roadway. The bridge is accessible only to pedestrians and emergency vehicles during fireworks events.
“The most important thing for people to know is that there is no threat,” said Guy Lapointe, head of media relations at Sûreté du Québec. “Obviously, everyone saw the tragic events in Nice. You can’t be in a situation where you put your head in the sand.”
On July 14 in Nice during Bastille Day celebrations, a heavily armed driver of a cargo truck weighing 19 tonnes mowed down and shot at a crowd of revellers on the Promenade des Anglais, injuring 308 and killing 84.
Aside from the four tow trucks on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, Lapointe said police deployed the same security measures as usual, and those depend on factors such as weather conditions and the number of people expected at an event.
“If you’re going to have a situation similar to the one that occurred in France, to have someone try to get on the bridge with a truck ... that will add a blockade to buy time for the officers to intervene and end the threat,” said Lapointe.
The SQ asks for citizens to stay aware and to inform the authorities if they witness any kind of behaviour that seems suspicious or out of place. “Risk zero doesn’t exist,” Lapointe said. “We’re not just talking of terrorist acts, we’re talking any kind of crime that can be committed anywhere.”
The SQ said they would put the trucks back in place for the last day of fireworks this Saturday at 10 p.m. — the Finale des Étoiles Loto- Québec — which will feature a tribute to singer Elton John.