Tight security will be enforced at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in May, organisers and police said Thursday, following tensions over Israel’s participation.
While no concrete threat has been identified, according to police, 500 security personnel will be deployed to the Stadthalle, the venue hosting the event near the city centre.
“Our top priority is to have a safe event,” Oliver Lingens, director of events at Austrian public broadcaster ORF, told a press conference.
Security measures announced
No bags will be allowed in the venue, while sniffer dogs will be deployed throughout the city, even before the event takes place from May 12th to 16th.
Asked whether special security measures would be in place for the Israeli delegation, Lingens declined to comment, saying: “The security of all delegations is obviously very important to us.”
Boycotts and withdrawals
Some countries have vowed to boycott this year’s edition of the world’s biggest live televised music event over Israel’s participation.
Broadcasters from five countries have pulled out of the contest over Israel’s war in Gaza.
Vienna is hosting the contest after Austrian artist Johannes Pietsch won last year’s edition in Basel, Switzerland.
Austria will be represented by Benjamin Gedeon, or Cosmo, who told AFP that he was fulfilling “a lifelong dream”.
He said he hoped to showcase “what great music can come from Austria”.
The 19-year-old secured the spot with “Tanzschein”, a dance track performed in German.
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