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Eurovision security to be tight due to unrest fears

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date18 April 2024
Publication titleEvening Chronicle
"The security is going to be rigorous," said city police chief Petra Stenkula, according to Swedish broadcaster TV4. Pro-Palestinian activists who want Israel out of the song contest have announced plans for large rallies in central Malmo, several miles from the

Malmo Arena contest venue. Last year, Sweden raised its terror threat level one notch to "high", the fourth of five levels, for the first time since 2016 amid a deteriorating security situation following recent burnings of the Koran that triggered protests in the Muslim world.

Police said yesterday that an application to stage a demonstration in Malmo to burn a copy of the Koran before the song contest had been handed in. There is no law in Sweden specifically prohibiting the burning or desecration of religious texts. Like many Western countries, Sweden does not have any blasphemy laws.

"Freedom of expression is strong in Sweden," Ms Stenkula said, according to the Malmo newspaper, Sydsvenska.

She said Swedish police will get reinforcements from across the country as well as from Norway and Denmark. She did not provide details. "We have terror threat level four, so we cannot empty the whole of Sweden of police officers" during the song contest, she added.

The live televised final is scheduled for May 11, with semi-finals on May 7 and May 9. Pro-Palestinian activists are...

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