Chicago alderman pushes for stronger street festival barriers after deadly New Orleans attack

CHICAGO - A Chicago alderman is demanding all street fairs and festivals to use stronger safety measures following the deadly New Years Day terrorist attack in New Orleans.

In a statement released Tuesday, Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th Ward) called on the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) to require all outdoor events held this year to install mobile vehicle barriers rather than the typical wood or plastic barriers used to close off streets.

"Yesterday America woke up to the carnage in New Orleans that killed fifteen people and injured dozens more," Lopez said in the statement. "In Germany, five people were killed and two hundred injured because a lunatic with a vehicle decided to attack people enjoying outdoor spaces. We must take measures now to prevent Chicago from joining this list."

Lopez said that DCASE's special event permit application currently lists the wood or plastic barriers, known as a Type III barricade, as the standard option for anyone applying to close off streets for special events. Lopez added that the suspect in Wednesday's terrorist attack was able to drive around the Type III barricades used on Bourbon Street in the city's French Quarter district.

In the short term, Lopez recommended concrete or water-filled barricades be adopted by event organizers to protect attendees while the city considers making mobile vehicle barriers a requirement to obtain a permit.

"Time is not on our side when it comes to terrorists looking to exploit weaknesses within our planning. We must learn from these events and plan accordingly if we want these hundreds of neighborhood events to continue in the most American of American cities," Lopez said in the statement.

The Chicago Police Department said there is no current actionable intelligence suggesting a threat to Chicago, but they have added more security outside Trump Tower.