Police are ramping up security operations ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden amid terror threat concerns against the backdrop of the war in Israel.
The iconic hugely popular European singing event is set to take place in the Swedish city of Malmo, with semi-finals on May 7 and 9 and the grand final on Saturday May 11.
But pro-Palestine protesters have warned they will stage rallies near the venue calling for Israel to be boycotted by organisers.
The Jewish state has been waging war against the terror group Hamas in Gaza since gunmen carried out atrocities on Israeli soil on October 7 last year.
Petra Stenkula, head of police in Malmo, said: “The security is going to be rigorous.”
Last year Sweden heightened its terror threat level to “high”, the fourth of five levels, for the first time since 2016 amid a deteriorating security situation following recent burnings of the Quran that triggered protests in the Muslim world.
Pro-Palestinian activists who want Israel out of the Eurovision Song Contest have announced large rallies in downtown Malmo, several miles from the Malmo Arena contest venue.
Swedish hosting of the contest will be the 68th iteration of the event following the spectacular show in Liverpool last year, which hosted on behalf of Ukraine who won in 2022.
According to local media, Ms Stenkula said applications for the pro-Palestine rallies were being considered. She added: “Freedom of expression is strong in Sweden. Now we first have to assess the application that has been received, then we have to see if it gets permission.”
The police official revealed extra officers would be drafted in from neighbouring Denmark and Norway to police the song contest and any protest and security threats.
Sweden has a strong pedigree in Eurovision having won the competition seven times, the joint highest number alongside Ireland. Legendary pop group ABBA were the first Swedish band to win the contest with their hit Waterloo in 1974.
