MALMO, Sweden (AP) – A Dutch contestant at the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from the competition hours before Saturday’s final over a backstage incident that is now being investigated by police. are doing.
European Broadcasting Union organizers said Swedish police were investigating “complaints from female members of the production staff” and that it would not be appropriate for Klein to participate while legal proceedings were ongoing. .
Klein failed to perform during two rehearsals on Friday, and contest organizers said they were investigating the incident as an “incident.”
Rumors had been circulating that the incident was related to the Israeli delegation, but organizers said the incident “did not involve any other performers or members of the delegation.”
Dutch broadcaster AVROTOS, one of dozens of public broadcasters jointly funding and broadcasting the competition, said: “The disqualification is disproportionate and we are shocked by this decision.” said.
AVROTOS said in a statement: “We deeply regret this incident and will address the matter later.”
The contest’s motto is “Unite through music,” but this year’s event proved to be exceptionally divisive.
The competition between nations for pop music glory comes to a close in the Swedish city of Malmö, with Israel at the center of a political storm. This has sparked large-scale pro-Palestinian demonstrations, with demonstrators calling for Israel to be removed because of its actions in the war in the Gaza Strip.
Thousands of people are expected to march for a second time this week in Sweden’s third-largest city, which has a large Muslim population, to demand a boycott of Israel and a ceasefire in the seven-month war. In Finland, a group of about 40 protesters stormed the headquarters of public broadcaster YLE on Saturday morning, demanding Israel’s withdrawal from the song contest due to its participation.
At the Malmö Arena, a few miles (kilometers) from the center of Malmö, 37 contestants were narrowed down to 25 teams through two semi-finals and a run-off in front of a live audience of several thousand and an estimated 180 million spectators. They will perform a three-minute song in front of an audience of people. world.
‘Not welcome in my city’: Jews in Eurovision host Malmö fear Islamist violence https://t.co/lVtOu3cLoL
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 10, 2024
It all builds to a troubling climax to an event that draws both admiration and derision for its eerie kitschy spirit and pop passion.
This year’s entries range from the emotional to the eccentric. It includes his goofy 1990s nostalgia as Finland’s Windows95man, who emerges from a giant egg on stage, barely clothed. Ireland’s Bumby Thug have summoned the spirits of witches on stage and brought screaming coaches to Malmö, while Spain’s Nebrossa have boldly recreated a term used as a slur against women in Zola.
Potential winners include Swiss singer Nimo (who would become the first non-binary Eurovision winner if her opera song “The Code” tops the vote) and Croatia’s Baby Lasagna. His song “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” is an upbeat rock number that tackles the issue of young Croatians leaving the country in search of a better life.
Contest history expert Dean Vretic says that despite the contest’s reputation as disposable bubblegum pop, Eurovision often tackles “political and social issues such as feminism, European integration and gender identity.” He said there was.
“And I think these are very interesting songs to look at, especially since they are ranked the highest by the bookmakers,” he said.
But sometimes the songs violate the contest’s rules, which prohibit overtly “political” statements. Eurovision organizers have instructed Israel to change the song’s original title, “October Rain.” This is an apparent reference to the October 7 Hamas attack that killed around 1,200 Israelis and sparked the Gaza war.
Israeli singer Eden Golan has improved her odds since performing her power ballad (now called “Hurricane”) in Thursday’s semi-final. Golan faced some booing at rehearsals, but viewers around the world voted for her to advance to the finals.
Israeli Eurovision contestant booed at Sweden’s Malmö song contest https://t.co/AI5rcrdTnv
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 10, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the 20-year-old Golan’s performance despite “fighting an ugly wave of anti-Semitism.”
Demonstrators say Israel should not be allowed to participate in a war that has killed around 35,000 Palestinians.
“I don’t think they should participate at all because they are committing a crime against humanity,” said Lorenzo Meyer, a local resident who took part in Thursday’s demonstration.
The competing musicians are feeling the pressure and are being bombarded with messages and abuse on social media, but the contest’s rules prevent them from speaking out. Italian contestant Angelina Mango entered the Eurovision Media Center on Friday and made her statement by playing John Lennon’s “Imagine” as dozens of journalists gathered around her.
Last year’s Eurovision winner and one of only two performers to win the contest twice, Swedish singer Loreen appealed to people not to shut down the “community of love” that is Eurovision. .
“What’s happening in the world today and in different places is distorting and traumatizing all of us,” she told The Associated Press.
“What heals trauma… Does trauma heal trauma? Does negativity heal negativity? That doesn’t work. The only thing that can truly heal trauma is science.”
