In a Feb. 9 press conference, Paris’s deputy mayor Jean-François Martins unveiled a proposal to build a permanent bulletproof glass wall around the base of the Eiffel Tower to protect France’s most popular tourist attraction from terrorist attacks. The “aesthetic perimeter,” as Martins called it, will replace unsightly metal fences the city erected as preventive measures when it hosted the Euro football tournament last year.
“Sadly, the risk of terrorism hasn’t gone away,” said Martins.
Measuring 8 ft (2.4 m) high, the glass wall will protect the 128-year old landmark as well as two adjacent ponds. Tourists can only access the areas after clearing security checkpoints, which are quickly becoming standard fixtures in cultural attractions around the world.
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