changing safety measures no barrier to a good time at italian day on commercial drive
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new portable anti-ram barriers block nearby roads at italian day on commercial drive in vancouver on sunday, june 8, 2025.
nathan griffiths
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vancouver police used cars, trucks and their newly purchased vehicle barriers sunday to block nearby roads for italian day on the drive, an annual street festival that draws thousands of people to the east vancouver street.
the portable anti-ram barriers, called “archer” barriers, replace heavy vehicles like dump trucks used by vpd as barricades at large-scale events like the celebration of light fireworks or the taylor swift concerts last year.
“i think it’s so much better,” cynthia richardson, who was out with her husband and friends, said of the new barriers. “you can see across, you don’t have these big (trucks) blocking the view. it’s friendlier.”
“before they used to have dump trucks,” said jim richardson. “they used to have cops posted with assault rifles next to the dump trucks. i thought that was overkill,” richardson said.
new portable anti-ram barriers block nearby roads at italian day on commercial drive in vancouver on sunday, june 8, 2025.
nathan griffiths
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neither of the richardsons, who live just off commercial drive, were worried about a repeat of the lapu lapu day tragedy, though both said it was on their minds.
daniel malbas, who was attending the festival for the first time, said he didn’t expect anything to happen but was curious to see how safety measures would change following lapu lapu day.
“i was definitely interested to see how they put different (security) measures in place, given the tragedy,” malbas said.
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malbas’s friend jerome said he wanted to make a point of coming out to the festival following the lapu lapu day tragedy.
“i want to make sure that it is successful,” he said.
crowds fill commercial drive during the italian day festival on june 8, 2025.
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the vpd ordered 16 of the anti-ram barriers from u.s.-based meridian rapid defense group soon after the new year’s day attack in new orleans, where a 42-year-old man used a pickup truck to ram into a crowd on historic bourbon street, killing 14 people. the devices arrived last month.
each barrier weighs about 320 kilograms and they are linked with heavy steel cables specifically designed to stop vehicles at roadways, construction sites and public events.
the barriers “can be deployed and moved around as needed,” sgt. steve addison, a vpd spokesperson, has previously said. “when they’re set up, they’re designed to prevent vehicle incursions into large crowds.”
new portable anti-ram barriers block nearby roads at italian day on commercial drive in vancouver on sunday, june 8, 2025.
nathan griffiths
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corinne lea, owner of the rio theatre at commercial and broadway, said in the 10-plus years the theatre has had a booth at the festival, safety has never been an issue.
her booth was at the southern entrance to the festival, at the corner of commercial and grandview highway, north of the skytrain station. the intersection was blocked by a police cruiser and a row of the newly purchased anti-ramming barriers. the barriers were a popular subject for photography.
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“i think it’s on everybody’s mind,” lea said of the lapu lapu day tragedy. “but i feel like we’re in good hands.”
“it’s really well organized. so i always feel safe,” lea said of the festival. “but you know, just the state of the world right now. you know you can never be too safe.”
each trailer load of meridian barriers costs about us$125,000, and includes eight mobile barriers and a rapid gate. the vpd ordered two trailer loads.
a large pan of paella waiting to be eaten at italian day on commercial drive, june 8, 2025.
nathan griffiths
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with files from cheryl chan
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