Alek Minassian, the man suspected of intentionally running over pedestrians with a van in Toronto on Monday, was charged yesterday with 10 counts of first-degree murder. Prime minister Justin Trudeau spoke in the foyer of the House of Commons, reassuring the country that “at this time we have no reason to suspect there is any national security element to this attack”. The city is still in mourning and the police investigation is ongoing (even the motive is as yet unknown) but already questions about urban security are being raised, much as they were in the aftermath of similar attacks in Nice, London, Barcelona and New York. Toronto is now faced with the same challenges all too many cities have had to battle in recent years – most importantly, how to keep citizens safe without turning the city’s streets and squares into fortresses.