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Authorities to unveil Eiffel Tower anti-terror fence

By Sommer Brokaw
A new security fence around the Eiffel Tower is set to be complete by France's Bastille Day fireworks on July 14. File Photo by Maya Vidon-White/UPI
A new security fence around the Eiffel Tower is set to be complete by France's Bastille Day fireworks on July 14. File Photo by Maya Vidon-White/UPI | License Photo

June 16 (UPI) -- Authorities will soon unveil a new security fence built to protect Paris' Eiffel Tower from terrorist attacks.

Workers placed temporary barriers around the tower two years ago, which are now being replaced with 2.5-inch thick bulletproof glass walls and 10.6-foot high metal railings.

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Also, 420 blocks will be put in front of the glass walls to prevent vehicle attacks, BBC News reported.

Bernard Gaudillère, president of the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel that runs the iconic monument, told BBC News the new walls were "rock-solid for absolute security."

The $40.1 million project is set to be completed ahead of France's Bastille Day celebrations on July 14.

An association of residents, Les Amis du Champ de Mars, disapproves with concerns ranging from absence of consultation with the residents to lack of an impact study, to the project's "exorbitant cost."

It started in June 2016 since authorities wanted to reassure visitors of safety after a high-profile terror attack the year before. The forecourt has been closed since then with troops patrolling the site.

A November 13, 2015 terror attack at a bistro in Paris claimed at least 120 lives. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks.

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More recently, in August of last year, a car was used in a terrorist attack against police and military officers, injuring six soldiers, officials said. The city had already sustained about a dozen more terrorist attacks since the November attack. About 7,000 soldiers have been deployed around the Paris area to protect government offices, tourist attractions and houses of worship.

More than 240 people have died in terror attacks in France since 2015, BBC News reported.

It's estimated about 7 million tourists will visit the landmark tower in 2018 alone.

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