A new report on the Lapu Lapu Day tragedy finds that the City of Vancouver's event safety rules are generally robust and were followed well on the day of the massacre, but recommends better protocols for dealing with hostile vehicles.
The City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Police Department released the final joint report on Thursday, Sept 26, detailing the safety and event planning before and during the April 26 block party where an SUV was driven into a crowd, killing 11 people.
“This review gives us a clear path to strengthen how we plan and prepare for gatherings, ensuring Vancouver events can remain both safe and fun," Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said in a news release. "We are committed to taking these lessons forward so our streets, parks and festivals remain safe, welcoming places where people can come together.”
The report has eight recommendations to improve safety at future outdoor special events. These include a call to provide consistent direction on when and how to use barriers to block vehicles from areas where crowds are gathered.
Other recommendations include installing permanent vehicle-resistant infrastructure in public places, ensuring future major projects are assessed for hostile vehicle risks, updating the city's event policies to emphasize safety, standardizing safety planning, and expanding training and equipment use.
The report also recommends that more money be provided for these efforts, and for better coordination with provincial and federal authorities on event safety.
Some of these changes — such as the increased use of barricades — have already been implemented in the months since Lapu Lapu Day.
More to Come.
