Thousands gather in Sweden to protest Israeli participation in Eurovision

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) - Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Thursday took to the streets in the Swedish city of Malmo on the second day of the Eurovision Song Contest in a protest against Israeli participation in the song competition.

The protest came amid heightened tensions in the country surrounding Israel’s participation in the song competition amid Tel Aviv’s war on Gaza, in which more than 34,900 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and tens of thousands injured, with many missing and uncounted for.

Pro-Palestinian groups staged large protests in the Eurovision host city with another demonstration planned on Saturday.

Swedish police estimate that over the two days, 100,000 demonstrators will come to the city, according to national broadcaster SVT Nyheter.

Today’s protest is expected to bring in tens of thousands of people on the day when the Israeli Eurovision contestant will be performing her song in a semi-final, according to local media reports.

Over 20,000 people from various European countries are also expected to travel to Malmo to protest Israel’s participation in the music competition.

“It is important to shed light on what is happening in Gaza,” Amanda Nilsson, a protester, was quoted as saying by the SVT.

The Palestine Network has taken the initiative to organize demonstrations and other cultural activities in the city during Eurovision week, the broadcaster said.

Another group called the Palestine Group in Malmo is also one of many organizations collaborating to organize two demonstrations in the city.

“We are planning two large, peaceful demonstrations on May 9 and 11 in Malmo. We hope that many people will come from Denmark to participate,” Per-Olof Karlsson, one of the organizers, told the broadcaster.

Asked why he felt it was important to stage such a protest, he said: “Because Israel should be excluded from Eurovision just like they did with Russia.”

In solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and as part of a protest, an alternative music event, called Falastinvision, will be held on the final day of the Eurovision Song Contest on May 11 in Malmo.

Many artists from Sweden and other parts of Europe will participate to show their support for Palestinians.

Authorities have adopted extra security measures including police with submachine guns and reinforcements from Denmark and Norway.

Malmo, Sweden’s third largest city, is home to around 360,000 people spanning 186 nationalities, including a large Palestinian and Muslim population.

Last week, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decided to prevent contestants, performers, and fans from displaying Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian symbols during the song contest.

The EBU said those who try to enter Malmo Arena with a Palestinian flag or a banner containing a political message will be stopped and the flags or banners will be taken away, according to the Goteborgs-Posten newspaper.

In 2022, Russia was barred from the Eurovision held in Turin, Italy, after neighboring Finland threatened to pull their performer out unless Moscow was banned due to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The EBU prevented the country from participating in future competitions.

Iceland was fined by the EBU after its Eurovision act Hatari raised Palestinian flags during their appearance on the show held in Israel in 2019.

In December, the board of the Icelandic Society of Authors and Composers (FTT) publicly called on Iceland’s public broadcaster RUV not to take part in the song contest “unless Israel is denied participation in the competition on the same grounds as Russia in the last competition,” FTT’s General Director Stefan Eiriksson said in a letter sent to RUV.

“We all have a duty to take a stand against war and the killing of civilians and innocent children,” Eiriksson said.

He further emphasized that individuals and states “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,” added Eiriksson.