Protests Erupt Against Israel's Eurovision Participation in Malmo
As anticipation builds for the Eurovision song contest in Malmo, Sweden, protests escalate against Israel's involvement
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Thousands of individuals from various European nations are anticipated to travel to Malmo, Sweden, to protest Israel's involvement in the Eurovision song contest, scheduled to take place in the Scandinavian country on May 7, according to local media reports from Monday.
The Palestine Network has initiated efforts to coordinate demonstrations and cultural events in the city during Eurovision week, as reported by national broadcaster SVT Nyheter.
Among the organizations collaborating to stage two demonstrations in Malmo is the Palestine Group in Malmo.
"We are organizing two large, peaceful demonstrations in Malmo on May 9 and 11. We are hopeful that many people will come from Denmark to participate," said Per-Olof Karlsson, one of the organizers, in an interview with the broadcaster.
When asked about the significance of staging such a protest, he cited the exclusion of Russia from Eurovision and emphasized the need for Israel to face similar action.
In solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and to protest Israel's participation in Eurovision, an alternative music event named Falastinvision is scheduled for May 11 in Malmo.
Several artists from Sweden and other parts of Europe are expected to participate to demonstrate their support for Palestinians.
One such artist is JC Bigfoot from Scotland.
"I will be taking part in the protest in Malmo by joining the demonstrations and performing my songs to show support and solidarity for the Palestinians," JC Bigfoot was quoted as saying by SVT.
In 2022, Russia was disqualified from the Eurovision Song Contest held in Turin, Italy, following threats from neighboring Finland to withdraw unless Russia was banned due to its military actions in Ukraine that year.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which oversees the competition, has since barred Russia from participating.
Iceland faced penalties from the EBU after its Eurovision act Hatari displayed Palestinian flags during their performance at the show held in Israel in 2019.
In December, the board of the Icelandic Society of Authors and Composers (FTT) publicly urged Iceland's public broadcaster RUV not to participate in the contest "unless Israel is denied participation in the competition on the same grounds as Russia in the last competition."
"We all have a responsibility to take a stand against war and the killing of civilians and innocent children," said Stefan Eiriksson, the FTT's General Director, in a letter to RUV.
He further emphasized that individuals and state institutions "always have the choice not to put our name to such things."
"We owe it to those nations that act with force through military might not to share the stage in an event that is always characterized by joy and optimism," Eiriksson added.
The 2024 Eurovision Contest is set to be held in Malmo, Sweden, on May 11, following Sweden's victory in 2023 with the song "Tatoo" by Loreen.
Israel has been engaged in a deadly military offensive in the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis.
Nearly 33,800 Palestinians, mainly women and children, have been killed in Gaza since then, with almost 76,500 injured amidst widespread destruction and shortages of essential supplies.
The Israeli military campaign has displaced 85% of Gaza’s population internally, amidst a severe blockade limiting access to food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel has been accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which issued an interim ruling in January ordering Tel Aviv to ensure its forces refrain from committing acts of genocide and guarantee the provision of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.
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