Hofburg Presidential Palace in Vienna Evacuated After Bomb Threat

The Hofburg, the official residence and workplace of Austria’s President Alexander Van der Bellen, has been evacuated after a bomb threat, a police spokesman said in a statement.

Shortly after 3 p.m. local time (1 p.m. GMT), police started the evacuation and erected extensive barriers at the site. Bomb detection dogs were also requested, police spokesman Markus Dittrich said, as quoted by Die Presse.

The former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty rulers is situated in the center of Vienna and was built in the 13th century, later expanding on numerous occasions.

Nach einer zuvor eingelangten Bombendrohung sind zurzeit unsere Kolleg*innen vor Ort und durchsuchen das Gelände. #InnereStadt #Hofburg https://t.co/LhLlaUAKsc

— POLIZEI WIEN (@LPDWien) April 29, 2020

The police are conducting a search at the territory, according to the spokesman. The threat was reportedly directed against the office of the president.