Australia kicks off global New Year party defying terror threat
SYDNEY: Global terror attacks have cast a pall over New Year celebrations but Sydney was on Saturday set to defy the threats and ring in 2017 with a firework extravagansa on the glittering harbour.
The year 2016 has seen repeated bloodshed, most recently a deadly truck attack at a Berlin Christmas market, a similar incident on Bastille Day in France that killed 86, and atrocities in Turkey and the Middle East.
But New South Wales state premier Mike Baird urged “business as usual” in Australia’s biggest city where 1.5 million people are expected to watch the midnight fireworks.
“My encouragement to everyone is to enjoy New Year’s Eve in the knowledge that police are doing everything they can to keep us safe,” Baird said. Some 2,000 extra officers will be deployed following the arrest of a man for allegedly making threats against Sydney’s big show in an online blog.
There have been a number of other reported threats this holiday period, in Asia-Pacific and elsewhere.
In Melbourne, police foiled a “significant” IS-inspired terror plot planned for Christmas Day targeting the city with explosives.
Indonesia also said it foiled plans by an IS-linked group for a Christmas-time suicide bombing, and 52 died in the Philippines in bomb attacks blamed on militants over the holidays.
Israel on Friday issued a warning of imminent “terrorist attacks” to tourists and western targets in India, telling its citizens to avoid public places.
Security concerns have hit many New Year events with truck blockades a new tactic to try to prevent vehicles ploughing into crowds. Sydney is using garbage trucks as safety barriers.
The German capital has beefed up security after the December 19 carnage, deploying hundreds more police, some armed with machine-guns.
“This year, what’s new is that we will place concrete blocks and position heavy armoured vehicles at the entrances” to the zone around Brandenburg Gate, a police spokesman said.
In Cologne, after a wave of sexual attacks last year, 1,800 police will be deployed — compared to just 140 in 2015.
In neighbouring Austria police will hand out 6,000 free pocket alarms — which emit a shrill noise when activated — to help stop assaults on women.
In Paris, there will be a firework display again this year, after muted 2015 celebrations in the aftermath of the November 13 massacre of 130 people.
Nearly 100,000 police, gendarmes and soldiers will be deployed across France against the terrorist threat.
With more than a million people expected to turn out to watch the ball drop in Times Square, New York is deploying 165 “blocker” trucks and some 7,000 men.