This year Eurovision’s mantra ‘united by music’ rings hollow as the European Broadcasting Union doubles down on including Israel in this year’s contest

Eurovision is supposed to be a celebration. Those lucky enough to bag tickets to the live shows are usually seen on TV dancing around the arena, cheering and having a fabulous time.

But during the jury show at this year’s song contest in Sweden, the atmosphere was anything but jubilant. Instead, the scenes inside the Malmö Arena were tense, and it’s not hard to guess why.

Clips shared online show how the usual cheers and applause were replaced by hostility, all of it directed at Eden Golan, Israel’s entry in this year’s competition. As she launched into her performance for the night, footage shows Golan being drowned out by booing and chants of “Free Palestine” from the audience. According to one attendee in the crowd, who shared their experience online, the “atmosphere inside the arena was horrible”.

      • Linkerbaan@lemmy.world
        0·
        4 months ago

        Yesterday they said he assaulted an israeli journalist physically, now they changed it into “verbal threats”.

        The Israeli victim special

        • Clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
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          4 months ago

          Israel’s contestant was asked a hard question and she was told she didn’t have to answer it. I read that someone from the Dutch team shouted “why not?” But I’m not clear if that was Klein or someone else. If that what you’re referring to? The reporting has been all over the place.

          • InFerNo@lemmy.ml
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            4 months ago

            Klein was asked a hard question and was told to answer, so when Israel’s contestant was told she didn’t need to answer he loudly asked why not. I think this context is pretty important but always left out.

        • krimson@feddit.nl
          0·
          4 months ago

          There is also a source who says it has been blown out of proportion. We’ll have to wait and see what happened exactly.

          • nonailsleft@lemm.ee
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            4 months ago

            Dutch TV just released a statement that he made a ‘threatening gesture’ towards a camerawoman that was filming him when he came off stage after he asked not to be filmed

            Whether or not it’s out of proportion would depend on which gesture I guess. But the organisation is claiming a zero tolerance policy so there’s that

        • Clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          0·
          4 months ago

          I have seen this too, but there’s not much detail. (I’m not saying he didn’t do it, I’m saying I don’t know what he is accused of having done!)