Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo: Tightened Security Amidst Protests
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Reporting from Malmo
Security Tightened for Eurovision Song Contest
Security is being tightened for the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden’s third city Malmo, with large demonstrations planned to coincide with the event and the country already on high alert.
Preparation and Hope for a “Joyful” Event
Police and organizers say they’re well-prepared and hoping for a “joyful” event.
Challenges and Controversies
The annual feel-good celebration of pop and showbiz is this year shrouded by complaints from some quarters over Israel’s participation amid the war in Gaza. Sweden was already facing heightened security challenges, and Malmo is expecting one of the country’s biggest ever policing efforts.
The World’s Largest Music Contest
As many as 100,000 visitors are set to descend on this city on Sweden’s south-west coast for the world’s largest live music contest.
Programme of Festivities
A programme of festivities kicks off on Saturday, with semi-finals next Tuesday and Thursday, culminating in the grand final on 11 May. An estimated 200 million viewers worldwide are expected to tune in for the four-hour spectacle.
Heightened Security Measures
Forces have been drafted in from across Sweden, with reinforcements from neighboring Denmark and Norway. Swedish police are usually armed, but some officers will carry larger weapons as a precautionary measure.
Malmo police chief Petra Stenkula said the whole country was already “on a terror level of four out of five”.
Concerns and Threats
“I think it’s obvious that the world’s insecurity has also affected Eurovision,” she told the BBC. “In Sweden, and Malmo in particular, there have been protests against Israel taking part in the competition.”
An internal police report, highlighted by Sweden’s public broadcaster SVT external, described Sweden as a “priority target” for violent jihadist groups. The 23-page threat assessment for Eurovision also cited unrest, cyber attacks, and disruption of the broadcast as other potential risks.
Strict Security Measures and Surveillance
Cameras have also been set up and drones are being used for surveillance external. Guests will also have to pass through airport-style security controls including scanners and searches when entering venues, and no bags are allowed.
“It’s a huge thing for the city of Malmo. So, of course, it’s important that everything works smoothly,” said Per-Erik Ebbestahl, Malmo’s security director. “We feel very well prepared.”
Significant Planning and Cooperation
Authorities have been planning for months and working with their counterparts in Liverpool, which hosted last year’s competition. “It’s been very, very helpful for us,” he told the BBC.
General Threats and Large Gatherings
Malmo has hosted the Pope and also a Holocaust Remembrance conference two years ago. But the city’s security director says what is new is the general threat towards Sweden and large gatherings.
“It’s not aimed at Eurovision per se,” he said, pointing out that similar security had been in place for recent ice hockey playoffs and was also planned for this month’s Taylor Swift concerts in Stockholm.
Exciting Shows and Controversial Entrant
Fencing had been erected, and additional cameras were being mounted when the BBC visited the Malmo Arena on Thursday. Inside the venue, rehearsals were already underway for a show featuring 37 acts.
“We have really exciting shows coming up,” said Ebba Adielsson, SVT’s executive Eurovision producer. “We know the debate out there, we know about the demonstrations, and we are well prepared. We hear it and we respect it,” she said. “But I sincerely hope it doesn’t overshadow it that much.
Eurovision and Political Controversies
Israel’s contestant Eden Golan, 20, and her song “Hurricane” will undoubtedly be in the spotlight. Originally titled “October Rain,” the song had alluded to the Hamas attacks on southern Israel last 7 October. Israel’s public broadcaster agreed to modify the lyrics, and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is responsible for the contest, gave the song the green light.
Commentators have suggested that it is one of the most politically-charged Eurovisions ever. Earlier this year, 1,000 Swedish musicians signed an open letter urging Israel’s exclusion.
Strong reactions and Increased Security Concerns
Israel’s National Security Council on Thursday issued an advisory warning against traveling to Malmo.
With a population of 360,000, Malmo is one of Sweden’s most diverse cities. Some of Malmo’s 1,200-strong Jewish community have said they feel nervous and apprehensive. Malmo also has a sizeable Palestinian community, and the contest has provoked strong feelings and weekly protests for months demanding that Eurovision boycott Israel.
Large Demonstrations and Rallies Planned
In the busy Triangeln area, Youma Kadoura, one of the rally organizers and a Palestinian resident, told the BBC: “Israel is not welcome to Malmo because they are bombing civilian people in Gaza.”
Kadoura points out that Russia was banned after it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“We cannot accept or normalize the genocide,” she said: an accusation that Israel vehemently rejects.
Police told the BBC that 10 separate applications had been lodged for demonstrations in the coming week.
Two mass rallies in central Malmo, several kilometers away from the venue, will take place on Thursday and next Saturday, coinciding with the second semi-final and final. Other protests will be “nearby” but not in front of the arena. An alternative music performance is also being staged.
Future Outlook and ABBA Exhibition
Police expect the demonstration to be larger than the protests seen so far. “Some weekends, we have had up to 20,000 people,” said police chief Petra Stenkula.
“We’re hoping that even if we gave a large number of protesters, they’re going to follow the rules,” says Per-Erik Ebbestahl, adding that previous protests have been well-organized and issue-free.
Despite the tension offstage, Eurovision will always remain Eurovision, with a raft of events including a special ABBA exhibition celebrating 50 years since the Swedish quartet stole the show with “Waterloo.”
“I really hope it’s going to be a fantastic, joyful week here in Malmo,” said Ebba Adielsson of Swedish TV. “Because there’s so much love and passion for the Eurovision Song Contest.”
