August M
Cities across several continents are scaling back or cancelling New Year celebrations as authorities reassess crowd safety ahead of 2026. Officials in each location point to local risk factors, public order concerns and wider security assessments rather than a single triggering incident.
While some major gatherings will still go ahead, others have been shelved as a precaution.
Parallel decisions
According to the Express, multiple cities have independently reviewed New Year plans in recent days. In Paris, a large New Year’s Eve concert on the Champs-Élysées has been cancelled following a request from police, local outlet sortiraparis.com reported.
Authorities were said to be concerned about managing huge crowds and reducing the risk of crushes or disorder in a high-density area.
Fireworks will still take place, meaning celebrations have been reduced rather than abandoned.
In Tokyo, officials cancelled the New Year countdown at Shibuya Station. Japan Today reported that city leaders were worried large gatherings could become targets or lead to dangerous overcrowding.
Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebe also raised concerns about public drinking.
Australia adjusts plans
In Sydney, New Year’s Eve events at Bondi Beach have been cancelled following a deadly shooting earlier this month. The fireworks display was expected to attract around 15,000 people.
Waverley Council said it decided to cancel events due to the “current situation on the ground”, Sky News reported. Event organiser Fuzzy said the move was intended to show “compassion and care for Sydney’s Jewish community”.
Elsewhere in the city, a minute of silence will take place at Darling Harbour, where the Harbour Bridge will be lit white in remembrance of the victims of the December 14 attack.
Separate US developments
Separately, US authorities have announced arrests linked to alleged New Year attack planning.
The Express reported that the FBI disrupted a suspected extremist plot targeting multiple locations in Los Angeles, arresting four people in the Mojave Desert.
FBI Director Kash Patel later confirmed a fifth arrest in New Orleans, involving what authorities described as a related but distinct plan.
Despite the arrests, officials in Los Angeles and New Orleans have not cancelled New Year events, according to the Mirror US.
Precaution over spectacle
Across cities, officials have emphasised prevention and crowd safety rather than panic.
While the reasons vary, the common thread is a reassessment of how to manage large public gatherings during a sensitive period.
Sources: Express, Sky News, Japan Today, Mirror US, sortiraparis.com
