Thousands of police, security, medical workers and firefighters to be deployed for Thompson concert

Thousands of police officers, security guards, emergency medical workers and firefighters will be deployed in Zagreb this weekend as the capital bracing for a massive crowd on Saturday, July 5 for the concert by patriotic folk rocker Marko Perković Thompson. 

Organizers sold more than 450 thousand tickets to the event at Zagreb’s Hippodrome. Many thousands more are expected to turn out to watch and listen in the neighborhoods around the venue. This poses serious organizational and security challenges for a city with a metro area population of around 1 million.

All services involved said Wednesday they were ready. Around 100 firefighters from the Zagreb Public Fire Department will be deployed at the venue, with assistance from firefighters from several other cities. Around 5 thousand security guards will be working at the concert.

Deputy Chief of Police Damir Barić said this will be the biggest security challenge for a public gathering the country has ever seen, said Deputy Chief of Police Damir Barić.

"As far as our engagement is concerned, nearly all of our departments are involved. Over a four day period, we will have 6,523 officers on duty. We've made sure that the reinforcements we've engaged are from twelve continental police departments. We wanted to make sure that police departments on the coast are not affected since they already have their hands full due to the tourism season,” said Barić.

There will be nearly 200 emergency workers on site and a mobile hospital will be set up in the immediate vicinity of the Hippodrome. This facility will have 200 beds for people who may experience blood pressure problems, headaches, minor injuries and dehydration, the Ministry of Health said. There will also be 27 emergency medical teams on call in the Zagreb area, ten more than usual.

Because of the heat wave, dehydration is a major concern. Public health authorities said there would be bottled water available and a number of water pumps and stations throughout the venue where people can rehydrate.

Ticket holders will be able to enter the Hippodrome area via 450 entrance points that will open at 10 am on the day of the concert. Organizers say these areas will have refreshment stands, shade, and entertainment.

There is an app available that provides all the information about the concert – from entrances to medical tents and restrooms. Organizers said more than 300 thousand people have downloaded it so far. Internet service could be unreliable at the venue, which is why ticket-holders are encouraged to download the app - which works off line - and to add their tickets. The actual concert area will not open until the evening. The concert is expected to last about three hours and end at around midnight.

Authorities are asking concert goers coming from outside of the capital to take buses or trains because parking will be extremely difficult. Extra lines have been added. Within the city, ZET, the transit authority, has added extra trams and buses as well but concert goers are urged to walk to the venue if at all possible because the neighborhoods near the Hippodrome on the city's south side will be closed off to traffic completely.