City of Malmö focuses on safe visitors during Eurovision

Eurovision Song Contest is almost 40 days away and the City of Malmö is working intensively on preparations. Safety is high on the agenda in collaboration with the police is one of the messages at the press conference held on Thursday.

The City of Malmö is the proud host of Eurovision Song Contest, but the security situation is more difficult than in 2013 and 2016 when Sweden was the host country. There is currently no specific threat to Malmö, but Sweden has an elevated terrorist threat level.

– Safe visitors and residents are the premise for our festivities. That is why we are working with well-balanced security measures to make sure that everyone who wants to, can take part in Eurovision, says Per-Erik Ebbeståhl, Director of Sustainability and Safety, City of Malmö.

Visible and non-visible security measures

Malmö residents will notice tens of thousands of visitors from other countries throughout the city during Eurovision. Therefore, there will be higher police presence and security personnel at the hubs around Malmö Live, Eurovision Village and in Hyllie. This is to ensure that the focus is on the event and the festivities.

– We are taking the measures that the police consider necessary for an international event like Eurovision. We will have alarm gates at the entrances to Eurovision Village and a controlled entry. Our common goal is for the people, the meetings, and the event to be in focus, not our security measures, says Per-Erik Ebbeståhl.

In the initial planning from the City of Malmö, there will be few closures that affect traffic in Malmö. The entire Eurovision Street will be a summer street, but the indoor parking lots along the route will be available throughout the period. Additional streets around Folkets Park will be closed and traffic around Malmö Arena will be significantly affected as many visitors get to and from the arena.

The City of Malmö has experience of large events

The police are responsible for establishing public order and safety in Malmö. The city is responsible for ensuring that the right measures are in place, and these measures are based on current information and the police's threat assessment. In addition, the City of Malmö works systematically with preparedness for all types of events.

– The City of Malmö has extensive experience of handling various types of undesirable events, including large-scale events, together with the police, emergency services and other community stakeholders. This is why there has already been good cooperation ahead of Eurovision, says Per-Erik Ebbeståhl.