Police welcome earlier end to Culture Night

The Capital Region Police welcome the earlier conclusion of Culture Night celebrations, which will end at 10pm this year with a fireworks display, mbl.is reports. The arrangement was also used last year.

“Our preparations will therefore be similar to last year. We are very pleased with this change,” Árni Friðleifsson, chief superintendent in the Capital Region Police traffic department, told mbl.is.

He said ending the event more than an hour earlier made a significant difference. “After midnight, the nightlife simply takes on a different character,” he said.

Culture Night is always a major day for the police, Árni said. Many officers begin work early because of the Íslandsbanki Reykjavík Marathon, while others will patrol the city on foot until the evening.

“This is one of the biggest days in law enforcement every year,” he said, adding that it was pleasing to see how willing officers were to work on such a busy day. Thousands of people have come into the city in recent years, creating a lively urban atmosphere, he said.