TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Police in Taipei are preparing for the World Masters Games, which are set to open with a large procession and ceremony on Saturday.
The Masters Games, which will be held at venues in Taipei and New Taipei, are expected to draw thousands of international athletes and many distinguished guests, per CNA. To ensure event security at the opening ceremony on Saturday, the Taipei Police Department will dispatch a special force of 2,500 officers, which will include drone surveillance specialists and K-nine detection units.
The event will take place at the Taipei Dome and kick off at 5:30 p.m. Police will screen guests with the help of 30 electronic detection gates, with officers assigned to monitor the parade route and roads surrounding the dome.
Taipei Police Superintendent Tu Kuo-ching (涂國卿) held a press conference near Taipei City Hall to discuss the security measures the city is taking ahead of the event. Last week, a stress test involving 1,000 officers was conducted simulating various threat scenarios, which officers completed satisfactorily, per UDN.
He urged those planning to attend any of the World Masters Games events to follow guidelines on the website. Tu reminded visitors that to ensure safety at the event, that pressurized cans, and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
Further, bags wider or longer than 50cm, along with flags or banners over 2 meters long or 1 meter wide are not permitted at any World Masters Games events, per CNA. People are also encouraged to dress in lighter colors to speed up the security check process.
International visitors as well as athletes are being advised not to make any overt political demonstrations during the games. It was reported that two Chinese athletes were denied visas to Taiwan because they were deemed a potential security risk with the intent to denigrate Taiwan.
