Pro-Palestinian demonstrators object to Israel’s participation in the Eurovision contest

world News

by Ally Griffin

Thousands of anti-Israel demonstrators filled the streets of a Swedish coastal city on Thursday – lighting smoke bombs and chanting “Israel is a terrorist state” – to protest the country’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Up to 12,000 people – including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg – gathered in Malmo’s historic Stortorget square near the city hall before marching towards the Eurovision venue, where singers from more than 50 countries are competing.

The demonstrators waved Palestinian flags. He wore keffiyeh scarves. Smoke bombs were deployed in green, black and red to match the colors of the flag. “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” they chanted repeatedly as police officers watched from rooftops, streets and even helicopters.

Eurovision organizers have rejected calls to expel Israel from the competition – arguing that they are trying to keep the competition apolitical.

But critics have noted Eurovision’s rejection of Russia in the 2022 contest after its invasion of Ukraine.

“I think Malmö should have kept the Eurovision contest, but we should have said to Israel either ‘stay away,’ or maybe even said, why don’t we invite a Palestinian music group to participate? And we should have told Israel,” Anders Trolle Schulz, a Malmö resident and protester, told the Associated Press. “That would be fair.”

In another attempt to be non-political, the organizers asked Israel to change the song it submitted as part of the competition. The song was originally titled “October Rains” in reference to the October 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and promoted the Israeli attack on Gaza. The poem is now called “The Hurricane.”

Audience members were heard booing the performance of Israeli song Eden Golan during Wednesday’s rehearsal.

But she played 10 of 16 matches in Thursday’s semifinals, earning a place in Saturday’s final competition.

Anti-Israel supporters are expected to take over the streets again during the final.

One of the demonstrators on Thursday, Saadallah Oudi – a Swedish citizen but of Palestinian origins – said Israel should not participate in the Eurovision contest while it is bombing the Gaza Strip.

“It’s about songs, and songs are about love. They should be here when there is peace,” he said.

The Israeli retaliatory attack killed nearly 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza — two-thirds of whom were innocent children and women, according to health officials in the Hamas-controlled territory.

Pro-Israel demonstrators held a smaller demonstration on Thursday in central Malmö as the country’s government warned its citizens they could be targeted in the Swedish city as it hosts the Eurovision contest.

“Music is supposed to unite us, but we are not united, because Israel is involved,” Troll Schulz said.

With mail wires