Norbert Kettner, chief executive of Vienna’s tourism board, told POLITICO that security measures around the city are “much tighter” than the last time Eurovision was hosted here in 2015.
“Yes, the security measures are very high. No big event in the free world can be held again without high levels of security,” Kettner said, adding that the city is working “to protect people who want to celebrate peacefully, but also to protect people who want to protest peacefully.”
He added that throughout the week, the energy between fans from different countries has been “peaceful and moderate.”
The organizer of Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), has issued he repeatedly emphasized that the song contest is politicaland that any broadcaster can participate as long as they follow the EBU rules.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday evening, the director general of the Austrian public broadcasting organization (ORF), Ingrid Thurnher, addressed the protests. He said everyone is entitled to their opinion, and “that’s the nature of democracy,” but if the final is tonight the focus should be on the stage.
“We would really like for a few hours to have music, to have all the attention in this Eurovision Song Contest. Everyone has been heard, everyone has the right to say their opinion tonight, but it’s the musicians who make their voices heard on this stage,” he said.
