Tight security will be enforced at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in May, organisers and police have said, following tensions over Israel's participation.
While no concrete threat has been identified, according to police, 500 security personnel will be deployed to the Stadthalle, the venue hosting the event near the city centre.
"Our top priority is to have a safe event," Oliver Lingens, Director of Events at Austrian public broadcaster ORF, told a news conference.
No bags will be allowed in the venue, while sniffer dogs will be deployed throughout the city, even before the event takes place from 12 to 16 May.
Asked whether special security measures would be in place for the Israeli delegation, Lingens declined to comment, saying: "The security of all delegations is obviously very important to us."
Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and, most recently, Iceland have all announced they will not take part because Israel has been allowed to remain in the Eurovision line-up after the war in Gaza.
Vienna is hosting the contest after Austrian artist Johannes Pietsch, who performs as JJ, won last year's edition in Basel, Switzerland.
Austria will be represented by Benjamin Gedeon, or Cosmó, who said that he was fulfilling "a lifelong dream".
He said he hoped to showcase "what great music can come from Austria".
The 19-year-old secured the spot with Tanzschein, a dance track performed in German.
Source: AFP
