Our reporter about the safety measures at a Eurovision Song Contest under high voltage: “There are two to three police officers on every street corner.”

Liverpool, 2023. Music sounds in the streets, people move in the seas through the city. The message ‘United by music‘ reflects on the audience. There is unity and connectedness. Everywhere you look, it is clear: this is where the Eurovision Song Contest Circus has settled.

Malmö, 2024. A Swedish seaside town forms the backdrop for the Eurovision Song Contest. A controversial edition due to the participation of Israel, which is fighting a war in Gaza. Petitions arose, also from Belgian artists, to ban the country. But the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) kept Israel on board. Their argument: “The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political event. It is not a competition between governments, but between broadcasters.”

Lack of atmosphere

The arrival of Israel brings a different atmosphere or especially the lack thereof. During the day it is remarkably quiet in Malmö. The decoration is sober and small. However, the entire police force of the country is present. A combination drives past regularly. The closer you get to the Arena, the more agents you see. That number rose again as the first show with an audience in the hall approached on Wednesday evening. Then an armored car also appeared. Concrete blocks must stop traffic and unwanted vehicles.

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There are two to three police officers on every street corner around the stadium. Some are more heavily armed than others, but they all wear a fluorescent vest. The message is clear and double: ‘We are here for your safety, don’t worry’, but also ‘We are here, don’t worry about doing anything’.

The police above all radiate calm. They speak to people in a friendly manner and keep an eye on things. It is not the first time that many security services have been called in during the Eurovision Song Contest. Vigilance was also high in Tel Aviv (2019) in Israel itself, as well as in Kiev (2017) in Ukraine.

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In the evening we go to the Eurovillage in the Folkets Park. Strikingly, last year the Eurovision Song Contest village was only a fifteen-minute walk away, now it takes an hour. Although the park is a suitable location, it appears that the city wants to avoid crowds. The special Eurovision Street there shows that politics is never far away. Palestinian flags fly from buildings. Slices of watermelon have been painted on shop windows, a symbol of Palestinian resistance to the Israeli government.

Palestinian protest

The roads around the park have barricades, where only cyclists and pedestrians can pass. A protest will take place at the entrance on Wednesday evening. A man on a cargo bike covered in waving flags cycles by and joins the group that sings and chants: “Free Gaza, free Palestine”. Surrounded by police who quietly watch and let things go. It is peaceful. A larger action will follow in the city on Thursday, where 15,000 to 20,000 people are expected.

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It is very quiet in the park itself. There are three different stages. One a bit smaller than the other. The semi-finals will not be broadcast live this time. The final on Saturday. It is noticeable that there are still some tickets available to attend the show live in the hall. Even for the semi-finals and finals. That was not the case last year. Don’t expect any bargains there either. Tickets sell for around 180 to 350 euros.

Sniper

Back at the Arena we suddenly see police for the first time on the roof of one of the buildings around the venue. A man with binoculars, accompanied by a sniper. A little further on there is another person in a fluorescent vest who keeps an eye on things. The presence of security services is also suddenly felt in the train station.

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The public must enter through a metal detector, like every year. Bags are not allowed in anywhere this time. No small handbags either. Moreover, for the first time, Palestinian flags will be strictly checked in advance. Those are prohibited. A Belgian fan was picked out because our tricolor was not recognized. “That was not the case on Monday, even though I was wearing the same flag,” he said.

That evening, Eden Golan will perform for the first time with an audience in the hall. She is treated to boos, according to videos on social media. You can hardly hear anything about it in the press room. You probably won’t notice it at home tonight either. The EBU has technology to filter that out.