Sweden is on high alert and security measures are being tightened in its third largest city, Malmo, ahead of next week’s Eurovision Song Contest.
100,000 additional visitors are expected in the city during the festival week. BBC News quotes Malmö police chief Petra Stenkula as saying the entire country is already “at a terror level of four out of five.”
The website reports that Malmö will host one of the country’s largest police operations ever, with additional personnel being recruited from across Sweden as well as neighboring Denmark and Norway. Swedish police are usually armed. It also cites an internal Swedish police report describing the country as a “priority target for violent jihadist groups” and citing the risk of unrest, cyberattacks and transmission disruption.
Large demonstrations are planned outside the venue, which will be attended by those who criticize Israel’s participation this year in connection with the country’s actions in Gaza.
This follows months of controversy ahead of an unprecedentedly politically charged contest. Israel’s entry Eden Golan had to change the lyrics and title after the European Broadcasting Union deemed the original entry too political.
Sweden is hosting the world’s biggest live music event after artist Loreen won in Liverpool, UK, last year. 1,000 Swedish musicians signed an open letter earlier this year urging Israel’s exclusion, and artists on both sides of the Israel-Gaza conflict have spoken out.
British entry Olly Alexander had previously signed a petition calling for Israel’s attacks on Gaza to stop, and in March he wrote on social media why he had decided to enter the competition, with organizations responding to him publicly called for a boycott of Israel’s participation.
Alexander wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“As a participant, I took a lot of time to think about what to do and what options were available to me. I am currently convinced that my withdrawal from the competition would not bring us closer to our common goal.”
He added that he had discussed the dilemma with participants from other nations and they had come to the same conclusion.
Alexander added that he supports all actions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, the return of Israeli hostages and a journey towards peace:
“I hope and pray that our calls will be answered and the atrocities we are witnessing in Gaza will come to an end.”