It’s the most controversial Eurovision ever – the mood in Vienna has shocked me

Before travelling to Vienna for the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, I was briefed on what to do in the event of being tear-gassed.

That might seem like an extreme way to prepare for attending a singing competition, but concerns about safety in the Austrian capital have been heightened in recent weeks in preparation for protests against the staging of the contest.

This year marks 70 years of Eurovision, which was created in the aftermath of World War II as a way to try to unite the continent through music.

For decades, it has been able to do so, also becoming a safe haven for the LGBTQ community during that time.

However, in recent years, its sparkle has been dimmed due to the ongoing controversy about the decision to let Israel continue participating despite its ongoing war in Gaza.

Within days of Russia invading Ukraine in 2022, the former was booted from Eurovision, with calls for a similar decision to be made on Israel simmering for three years now following the humanitarian crisis resulting from Israeli military operations in Gaza.

Following an EBU vote late last year – which paved the way for Israel to continue competing – five countries announced they’d be boycotting: Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Iceland and Slovenia.

Despite this, Eurovision fans have this week arrived in Austria from over 70 countries, with 95,000 tickets sold for the live shows.

However, last week the Vienna police force called it one of the biggest security events they have ever faced, with deputy police chief Dieter Csefan telling AFP that it is a ‘complex challenge’.

And just a few days ago, the city was on ‘high alert’ amid fears that the opening night presented a prime target for terrorists.

So, with all of this taken into account, I had to undertake a security briefing for a run-down of how to handle any tense situations that I may find myself in as a journalist at the event.

During the discussion, I was advised on the best protocol regarding protests and what to do if things escalated and tear gas was deployed.

While none of this advice was sensationalising what might happen in Vienna, I was, of course, nervous about what I might be walking into, especially after covering Eurovision last year.

In 2025, I was in Basel along with thousands of other Eurovision devotees. While I didn’t feel unsafe at all, I’d been told tales of how quickly the atmosphere could change.

On the night of the Grand Final, hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered, wearing ‘Boycott Israel’ T-shirts, holding up banners, waving flags, and stopping traffic on routes to the stadium.

Then, upon arriving at Basel’s St. Jakobshalle arena, I was shocked to see heavily armed police officers lining the street and standing between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel supporters to separate them.

A year earlier, Eurovision lovers told me they were received less than warmly in Malmö, Sweden, where a fan from Wales told me he was ‘booed, yelled at and filmed’ while on a tram on the way to shows.

‘Malmö felt incredibly tense and wasn’t very nice. A lot of people were worried there, with the tension being so high,’ another recalled.

With many people – myself included – anticipating potential similar pushback in Vienna this year given strict vetting of the 16,000 Eurovision staff and airport-level security screenings, the atmosphere has been anything but tense.

I’m so shocked by this, and pleasantly surprised.

Despite the increased security, the overall feeling in the city? It has been one of true calm.

Everyone I’ve spoken in Vienna for the contest has praised organisers and police for taking things so seriously, with the increased presence giving a deeper sense of security.

‘I’ve noticed heightened measures but that makes me actually feel a lot safer,’ one Eurovision-goer told me, while another called the thorough approach ‘reassuring’.

Standing in front of the main entrance to Wiener Stadthalle on the evening of the first Semi-Final on Tuesday night, I was surprised by just how seamless crowd control was, with security checks being thorough yet efficient.

The same can be said for Eurovision Village, which welcomes thousands of fans each day and night, and involves pat-down searches of everyone entering. But once inside, everyone I met remarked how safe they felt after undertaking those quick checks when entering.

I’ve been surprised at both venues to see a lack of Palestinian flags but have also been told that Austria’s status as a vocal supporter of Israel may explain the dearth of big protests in the city so far this week.

Despite the ongoing calls to boycott the contest from many, over the past two years I’ve seen the best of what Eurovision can represent – encouraging people who simply love music to come and celebrate together in a safe environment for all.

There is no doubt the European Broadcasting Union must reckon with the current divide it faces, a sentiment echoed by many fans.

However, some have also questioned why a music contest has come under such intense scrutiny when other events like the Winter Olympics have seen Israeli delegations attend such little backlash.

Several days of the event are still to come, with a protest also planned for the eve of the final on Friday.

That date also marks Nakba Day, which sees Palestinians commemorate the loss of their land after the 1948 war at the birth of the state of Israel. Last week Reuters reported that attendance is estimated to reach up to 3,000 people.

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