Adelaide Oval installs new security barriers to prevent a terrorist attack
LARGE concrete barriers have been installed outside Adelaide Oval ahead of tonight’s Big Bash opener to prevent a Berlin-style terror atrocity. Map: How to get to the Oval tonight
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LARGE concrete barriers have been installed outside Adelaide Oval ahead of tonight’s Big Bash opener to prevent a Berlin-style terror atrocity.
The temporary barriers will prevent vehicles from entering the oval precinct, with a $1 million permanent solution to be in place by next year’s AFL season.
Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan said July’s terrorist atrocity in Nice and this week’s Berlin market attack — which both involved trucks being driven into crowds of people — had prompted police to review security measures and reduce the risk.
Vehicles parked along War Memorial Drive were used to achieve the same result during the recent Test match but Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority chief executive Andrew Daniels said the organisation wanted a “more permanent but still temporary solution”.
Mr Daniels said the authority signed off on the strengthened security measures last week but said security was always “a work in progress”.
“This is probably the most visible addition people have seen but I think people will come along tonight and experience what they usually experience coming to an event at the Adelaide Oval,” he said.
“We want to make sure people have a good, safe time, have a fast, safe time getting an easy access to the oval, but they will go through the usual security screening process.”
There’s no specific threat to the Adelaide Oval, but Mr Daniels said the barriers were added to provide further comfort for patrons given the National Terrorism Threat Level remained at “probable”.
Probable is in the middle of the threat level range, meaning people in the country had the capacity to undertake a terrorist attack but no credible security threat was expected.
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Berlin attack, releasing a statement saying “the person who carried out the truck run over attack in Berlin is a soldier of the Islamic State and carried out the attack in response to calls for targeting citizens of the Crusader coalition”.
Mr Daniels said the authority signed off on the strengthened security measures last week but said security was always “a work in progress”.
SAPOL Assistant Commissioner Noel Bamford said there would be an increased police presence at all events over the Christmas period, to reflect the threat level.
Mr Mullighan said the government was continually assessing security arrangements and stressed South Australians should not be alarmed by the new precautionary measures.