Central Park fenced off for visit of the Pope

folder_openTemporary Events

Faith was in short supply in New York recently, when the Secret Service erected a temporary, eight-foot-tall steel fence along Central Park’s western edge for Pope Francis’s visit to the city.

The mile-long barrier had just a few openings along its length to allow public access to the park in the build-up to the event, and the whole fence was closed off entirely as the Pope prepared to visit the park for a full 20 minutes.

Security measures like this are rare and can only really be justified for the presence of an international celebrity who might be a target, such as the Pope or President Obama. For this papal visit, though, the US Secret Service went into overdrive and secured a perimeter well before the visit and imposed parking restrictions on the local streets.

The fencing had ‘anti-climb’ features, including gaps that are too small to accommodate hands and any support struts that could act as potential bolsters remaining on the inside. This fencing is becoming increasingly popular thanks to the added layer of protection it provides to the venue and the public members that can easily be injured when they attempt to scale a fence.

This opens up all kinds of potential legal problems that a solid approach to security can nip in the bud. However, anti-climb fencing can be erected and dismantled swiftly, so it is a viable option for most organisers.

Anti-climb fencing is useful at events, such as music festivals, notorious for people attempting to dodge security and the ticket price, and events in a public space or rural setting where a solid perimeter is hard to define. The Pope’s visit to Central Park is a perfect case in point, as the park covers 778 acres and its landscaped gardens make it a complex area to secure and defend.

With all the hi-tech options at the Secret Service’s disposal, it speaks volumes that they chose to go with a good ‘old-fashioned’ fence, albeit one with anti-climb properties. But, of course, there is no substitute for a solid barrier when you need to control a crowd.

Looking for temporary high-security fencing for your event? Contact Zaun today!

About Zaun

Zaun Limited is the sole remaining manufacturer of welded and woven mesh fencing systems that manufactures the entire system in the UK.  Zaun makes the mesh, fencing panels, posts, clamp bars and fixings at its state-of-the-art five-acre production facility in Wolverhampton in the West Midlands.  Products have been tested and approved by testing organisations including CPNI, LPCB and Secured by Design.

Zaun works very closely with all stakeholders within the business including employees, local, national and international suppliers and a long-established customer base of fencing contractors to design, manufacture and supply high-quality fencing systems, increasingly often providing expertise in integrating PIDs and other systems into holistic security solutions.

Zaun was founded in 1996 and remains a private company solely owned by co-founder Alastair Henman with a regional office in Dubai. They are certified to the ISO 9001 quality standard. It is also a member of the Perimeter Security Suppliers’ Association (PSSA), of which Alastair Henman is a director.

Zaun is a proud British manufacturer and founder member of the Made in Britain campaign, a key player in the UK fencing market and one of the fastest-growing companies in an increasingly competitive industry.

Latest Blogs

The Future of Physical Security

The Future of Physical Security

Fencing for Farms

How can Duo8 perimeter fencing help with farm security?

electric perimeter fencing electric fence topping

Points to consider when selecting perimeter fencing

School Security Fencing

4 security solutions every school should consider

Menu