Security measures were stepped up in the glamorous French Riviera city of Cannes, with an announcement banning beachgoers from bringing large bags to the seafront. <br /> <br />Cannes Mayor David Lisnard said in a press release on Wednesday (July 27) that the restrictions were to "reinforce the prevention of the risk of attack and security on the beaches." <br /> <br />The announcement comes less than two weeks after a suspected Islamist drove a truck into a Bastille Day crowd, killing 84 people in Nice, 33 kilometers (20 miles) north of Cannes. <br /> <br />"I don't know how can it helps (sic) but who knows, they know better," said beachgoer Andrew, from Belarus, who had his bag checked by police on the beach. <br /> <br />Some beachgoers were more accomodating to the new measures. <br /> <br />"Whatever is necessary to make people feel relaxed and comfortable, I'm in favour of that. I think these are difficult times and we need to look out for each other. I didn't bring a towel today, but I had a swim, it's so nice here, we want to keep it beautiful and we want to keep people relaxed and enjoying it, terrific place," said 62-year-old Dermot Reynolds from Ireland. <br /> <br />"I think that after what happened at Nice, with the attack, I think that now it's normal that they're doing it so it doesn't shock me that much," said 28-year-old Walim. <br /> <br />Linsard called the security measures "pragmatic" in an interview on Thursday (July 28). <br /> <br />The measures are expected to be in place until the end of October. <br /> <br />In April, security forces held drills in which gunmen stormed the Festival Palace -- where major celebrities come to premiere their movies during the film festival -- one of several such exercises staged in France following the November Paris attacks.
