On 1 December 2020, a man used his SUV to drive through the Trier city centre, killing five people. A nine-month-old baby, as well as the father of the child, were among the victims. The trial against the perpetrator is currently underway.
Trier now becomes the first city in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate to implement a safety concept specifically designed to stop deadly rampages.
By 2024, a total of 40 locations are supposed to be secured by various obstacles, including anchored benches and raised flower beds. The barriers are intended to prevent any driver from building up speed in the city centre, while the obstacles should be able to block any vehicle of up to 12 tonnes and driving up to 80 km/h.
Trier Mayor Wolfram Leibe underlined the importance of installing the security system, since many of the witnesses from that day still feel unsafe in their home town.
Aside from Trier, the German cities of Mainz and Bad Dürkheim have also announced that they will install similar urban security systems.
