Balance sheet from Linz

Visitors wanted to enter the town hall with knives and axes

Large kitchen knives such as these are of course among the prohibited items that should not be taken into the town hall.(Bild: Stadt Linz)

Initial assessment of the security gates at the New City Hall in Linz: In total, almost 120,000 citizens have passed through the security gates at the entrance over the past nine months. That's an average of around 1000 visitors per day, and even more during events. It's hard to believe what some visitors have in their pockets.

Since the security gates were opened in June 2023, security staff have removed numerous prohibited items. The unauthorized items found by the baggage scanners, metal detectors and handheld search probes include pocket knives, pepper sprays, knuckledusters, kitchen knives, large scissors and even an axe.

Security is a priority
"At the heart of our city, the New City Hall is not only a symbol of administration and democratic life in Linz, but also a place of coming together, openness and dialog. Our priority is to keep this space safe and accessible for all citizens and employees at all times. The security gates and controls are equipped with the latest technology to guarantee efficiency and make access to City Hall as smooth and secure as possible," emphasizes SP Mayor Klaus Luger.

On average, 1,000 people pass through the New Town Hall's airlock every day.(Bild: Stadt Linz)

"Weapons confirm necessity"
"As the images from the scanners show, the knives found in visitors' bags are certainly large. The confiscation of weapons confirms the sad necessity of security gates. The safety of citizens and all employees in the town hall must always be our top priority," affirms City Councillor for Security Dr. Michael Raml. 

"Employees have a better feeling"
"The increased security measures have been well received by citizens. They have also led to a much better feeling among municipal employees when dealing with customers. The fact that numerous dangerous or even prohibited items were found in visitors' luggage confirms that the checks are by no means excessive," says Ulrike Huemer, Director of the Municipal Administration, encouraging greater vigilance within the municipal administration.

The security gates in the New Town Hall have been in operation since June 2023, and since then they have been carried out daily during opening hours without exception. This is part of the city's security concept. For visitors to the New Town Hall, this means that they can only enter and leave the building through the main entrance.