Merseyside Police say 'biggest ever' policing operation underway to prepare for Eurovision

Merseyside Police says its planning the biggest operation in its history as the preparations for the Eurovision Song Contest gather pace in Liverpool.

The city was chosen to stage the competition as last year's winners Ukraine were unable to host it due to the ongoing conflict in the country.

The 67th Eurovision Song Contest is expected to attract more than 160 million television viewers worldwide, as well as thousands of people in Liverpool for the celebrations that will be taking place at various venues across the city centre and the rest of Merseyside.

The force says its playing a key role in preparations, in partnership with the BBC, the City Council and a range of other bodies, to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

Chief Superintendent Jonathan Davies, Police Tactical Commander for Eurovision 2023 says, "The Eurovision Song Contest being held in Liverpool is a huge moment for the city. It’s been 25 years since the UK hosted the competition, so it is an absolute honour that our city was chosen to host this event on behalf of Ukraine.

"It is important to acknowledge our policing role in this event and despite it being the biggest policing operation we have ever done here in Merseyside, we are confident we have a robust policing plan in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved."Hosting on behalf of Ukraine has presented some unique challenges whilst completing our preparation but we are confident we have the plans and processes in place to deal with any incidents that may arise and to prevent any significant, or ongoing disruption, to event visitors to the city, local residents and businesses. 

“We are expecting large numbers of people to head into Liverpool city centre to experience our bars, clubs and restaurants and we want all our visitors to know that we will not tolerate any violence, antisocial behaviour or hate crimes. We are linked in with CCTV operators and working closely with door staff, licensees and bar staff to help us identify these crimes if they do happen, but I would ask if anyone witnesses themselves, that they speak to a member of staff or police officer to highlight any concerns or issues and report any incidents."

Merseyside Police say armed officers will form a visible part of the plans being put in place, but that in itself is no cause for alarm.

Chief Superintendent Jonathan Davies explains, "There will be a visible armed presence, but I would like to reassure visitors that this is not in response to any direct threat but just as part of our normal reassurance for everyone enjoying the festivities.

“We appreciate that this will be the first time that a lot of people will be visiting our city and so we want people to make sure their visit is memorable for all the right reasons. Therefore, we ask that people take steps to protecting their own safety by not leaving your property, including bags and mobile phones, unattended and always keep valuables close.

“Finally, public transport is expected to be very busy, which may well be further impacted by the national strikes which are scheduled to take place. As a result, we would just like to ask where possible, you try to plan your journey in advance so you know the route you plan to take and regularly check timetables, especially in the evenings. 

“So, it doesn’t matter which country you’re backing in this year’s competition or whichever festivities you’re taking part in, our officers will be out and about to make sure that everyone can enjoy themselves. Have fun, look after each other and remember to report any incidents to our officers.”