Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

THE Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurell has issued a statement ahead of Eurovision 2023, as the area gets resdy to welcome tens of thousands of Eurovision fans .

Since the announcement last October that the City will be hosting the 67th Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine, the excitement has been building and this year’s contest is expected to attract more than 160 million television viewers, as well as the crowds who will be enjoying the huge celebrations that will be taking place at various venues across the city centre and the Merseyside region.

Merseyside's Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell sratment reads as follows:- "There’s a brilliant buzz around the Region as Eurovision fast approaches. It’s an amazing honour for Liverpool to host this international celebration of music on behalf of Ukraine and, I have no doubt, we will do them proud. It’s set to be a fantastic spectacle with events taking place right across the City and beyond. This is the region’s first mega event post-Covid and since the Giants back in 2018 and the scale of it is staggering, with 12 separate concerts and nine days of Eurovillage Fan Zone and Euroclub. The eyes of 160million people from across the globe will be on Liverpool and it’s anticipated 50,000 people from 37 countries will visit Liverpool, as well as 1,200 members of the international press. My focus, and that of Merseyside Police, will be on keeping everyone safe during this 9 day extravaganza. Working closely with the BBC, Liverpool City Council, ACC Liverpool, and a host of partners, planning for the event has been underway since Liverpool was declared the host last October. Merseyside Police are excellent at supporting events on the biggest scale and their operational preparations are incredibly thorough. Officers and staff, both hig -visibility and plain clothed, will be on hand working to keep you safe 24/7 throughout Eurovision. Through our You’re Safe Here scheme with LCR Pride, we’ve also trained more than 1,000 staff from 120 venues to provide effective support if anyone feels vulnerable or scared for any reason. As events get underway, we need your help too. By acting as the Police’s eyes and ears, you can play a vital role in keeping everyone safe. Look out for each other, and if you see something that doesn’t feel right, please tell staff or the Police. Music unites us and, by working together, this can be the best Eurovision ever!"

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In an emergency please call:- 999 and give all the required information or tell a Police Officer.

If you see something suspicious, please tell a Police Officer, if not an emergency you can also call the confidential Anti Terrorist Hotline on::- 0800789321.