Swedish police state that the security protocols will be "rigorous" for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest next month - one of the most controversial editions in recent memory.
Security will be tight during next month’s Eurovision Song Contest in the southern Sweden city of Malmö, according to police, who have cited demonstrations that could lead to unrest and a heightened threat of terrorism in the Scandinavian country.
Activists also have planned two large demonstrations to protest Israel’s participation, as conflict in the Middle East threatens to overshadow the feelgood music festival.
Police said that an application to stage a demonstration in Malmö to burn a copy of the Quran before the song contest had been handed in.
Several of the competing artists, including the UK’s Olly Alexander, Ireland’s Bambie Thug, Finland’s Windows95Man and many others, have issued a statement defending their participation while saying they “do not feel comfortable being silent” over the situation.
Last week, EBU Deputy Director General Jean Philip De Tender said that the organization understood “the depth of feeling and the strong opinions" that this year’s Eurovision Song Contest has provoked, but "“firmly oppose any form of online abuse, hate speech, or harassment directed at our artists or any individuals associated with the contest.”
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