Major New Year’s Eve events around the world have been canceled for security reasons amid rising terror threats.
Cities began canceling their celebrations following the FBI’s announcement that it had thwarted a terror plot planned for Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve. Here is a breakdown of major cities that have canceled events and why.
Sydney
While the main fireworks event at Sydney’s Opera House went ahead, in light of the Hanukkah Bondi terror attack, the NYE celebration at Bondi Beach did not.
“Due to the current situation on the ground, Waverley Council has decided to cancel New Year’s Eve events at Bondi Beach, including elrow XXL Bondi and Local’s Lawn,” organizers at Waverley Council told Sky News.
To honor the victims of the attacks, the main City of Sydney event held a ‘minute of unity.’ The image of a blue menorah was also projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Paris
Paris canceled its massive annual New Year’s Eve live concert at the Champs-Élysées due to security concerns. However, large crowds were still expected, as well as a fireworks display at midnight and a video projection on the Arc de Triomphe.
France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced he is tightening security and is employing 90,000 police officers and gendarmes across the country to ensure the celebrations remain safe.
Tokyo
Tokyo’s famous NYE countdown at Shibuya Crossing was also canceled for security reasons. The decision was made by the Shibuya Countdown Executive Committee, which said that the size of the crowds would pose too much of a risk.
Belgrade
The Mayor of Belgrade, Aleksandar Šapić, announced the cancellation of both the New Year’s Eve celebration and the Serbian New Year’s celebration on account of security reasons.
Šapić said he does not want to risk the safety of any children, given children often attend the events.
“I no longer want to take risks and endanger any child (…) We had that celebration in the Square last year, where a group of people who were passing by tried to rush in. Now, did they want to hurt them? I don’t believe they wanted to hurt them. But whatever they wanted, we will not take such a risk anymore.”
Chicago
While celebrations were not canceled, the city enforced a 10 p.m. curfew for everyone under 18 who is unaccompanied by an adult. It is also urged people to stay alert, be aware of their surroundings, and report anything suspicious.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies also released a threat assessment last week warning that Chicago’s New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration at Navy Pier was “an attractive target for both foreign terrorists and domestic extremists.”
Multiple other major cities across the world, such as London and New York, have announced massively heightened security will be in place on New Year’s eve.
There have been myriad terror attacks on New Year’s eve in the past.
Most recently was the vehicle-ramming and shooting attack in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2025 on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, a major New Year’s celebration area.
Some other major attacks include Reina Nightclub Attack in Istanbul in 2017 (39 killed, 70 wounded); the foiled airport bomb plot in Orlando, Florida, in 2016; an Islamist extremist stabbing attack in Manchester, UK, on New Year’s Eve 2018; the ISIS-inspired knife attack near the Eiffel Tower in 2017; and the Bangkok, Thailand, New Year’s Eve bombings in 2006.