Austria boosts security ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Vienna

“The police will do everything humanly possible to ensure the safety of everyone in this city, especially on this evening. There will be zero tolerance for rioters, firework throwers and the like”, Gerhard Karner, Interior Minister Austria, warned.

Extensive preparations have already been made in recent weeks, he added.

Austria is currently on terror alert level four out of five.

According to the State Security and Intelligence Service there are currently no concrete indications that New Year’s Eve events in Austria are at risk, nevertheless, increased vigilance is required.

“With regard to the threat situation on New Year’s Eve, it should be noted that we have no concrete indications of a threat to events on New Year’s Eve in Vienna or in other federal states,” Sylvia Mayer, the deputy head of the State Security and Intelligence Service, said.

“Events of this kind with a high symbolic value and a large number of participants are of course always subject to an increased risk”, she added.

The police will use drones to monitor the area of the New Year’s Eve trail in order to immediately recognise potential threat scenarios.

Additional sources • EBU