Upper Austrian police boost staffing for Halloween night

Police in Upper Austria are increasing staffing and monitoring social media ahead of Halloween, as authorities prepare for possible protests and disorder, ORF reports. No Halloween-related demonstrations have been registered in Linz, the state capital, so far.

Authorities in several European cities are preparing for possible unrest after videos circulating on social media called for protests. Linz has seen serious Halloween riots before, in 2022, and Wels also experienced unrest that year.

Wels says police, municipal enforcement officers and private security services will be deployed in greater numbers this year. Police in Upper Austria will also add staff over the weekend and monitor Instagram, TikTok and Facebook to identify and prevent possible trouble early.

Police say their preparations cover areas around Linz as well as the city centre. They also warned that pranks can have criminal consequences, including when they involve property damage or physical injury.