"Our job is to see that people who want to attend a rally or protest can do it in a very orderly and safe environment. And that’s what we were able to do in Beverly Hills.”— Peter Whitford, Meridian CEO
BEVERLY HILLS, CA, USA, November 14, 2023 -- Predictions of large crowds attending a pro-Israel rally in Beverly Hills encouraged local authorities to call Meridian Rapid Defense Group to secure the location with Archer 1200 Barriers and beam gates.
It was just one of many rallies and protests where Meridian helped to provide the participants a safe space to assemble and express their views. Similarly, during the period when Black Lives Matter protesters took to the streets, Meridian was asked to do the same.
Inevitably, a rally or protest march takes place near areas with heavy traffic. In Beverly Hills, the rally was held in Beverly Gardens Park right next to one of the city’s busiest roads, Santa Monica Boulevard, and thousands of people turned up.
Peter Whitford Meridian CEO said, “The park is surrounded by roadways on all sides, so to make sure no vehicles could get anywhere near the crowd we closed off the surrounding streets with a combination of Archer 1200 Barriers and two beam gates. Those beam gates played the important role of allowing police cruisers and emergency vehicles in, if they were needed.”
Crowd management and crowd safety is an ongoing concern for any city official or event organizer. Recent tragedies where drivers either intentionally or accidentally drove into parades, highlight the absolute need to ensure that people are separated from life-threatening run-ins with vehicles.
“We are doing this sort of deployment all around the country", said Mr. Whitford. “Our job is to see that people who want to attend a rally or protest can do it in a very orderly and safe environment. And that’s what we were able to do in Beverly Hills.”
Cities including La Mesa and Martinez in California and Green Bay, Wisconsin have also used Meridian Rapid Defense Group for demonstration security. The Archer barriers are mobile and set in such a way that people can walk freely between them but at the same time they will stop a car driven into them.
Mike Estanol from the Martinez Police Department said at the time, “By having the Meridian barriers at every key entry point we were able to quickly and effectively close down vehicle traffic. I liked the barriers because people could move freely past them while still stopping cars and trucks.”
The increased focus on keeping vehicles and people apart at events using Meridian’s mobile vehicle mitigation barriers, which can be rolled into position by one person, is a departure from the more primitive and unsightly solutions such as heavy concrete or orange plastic water barriers.
Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities and places safer. For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier visit www.meridian-barrier.com.
