Extra police to patrol Brussels Christmas market after Strasbourg attack
The Mayor of Brussels Philippe Close (Francophone socialist) and the Chief Commissioner of the Brussels-Capital-Elsene Local Police Service have decided that extra police officers should be deployed to patrol the capital’s Winter Wonders Christmas market. The decision to increase police numbers at the market has come about in the light of Tuesday evening’s shooting at a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg. Extra officers will also be on hand at other end of year festivities in the capital.
In France the terror threat warning level was raised straight after the attack. However, the official organ that assesses the level of terrorist threat in Belgium OCAD says that there is no need to increase the terror threat warning level here in Belgium. Nevertheless the security arrangement for Winter Wonders were reviewed at a meeting between the Mayor and the Chief Commissioner on Wednesday morning.
Mayor Close’s Spokeswoman Maïté Van Rampelbergh told journalists that "Extra security measures such deploying the army, won’t be taken however, the number of police patrols will be increased and we will be extra vigilant”.
Other measures such as the use of concrete blocks to prevent attacks using vehicles are still in place in Brussels.