'Israel' protest in Malmö: 'Exclude them from Eurovision'

In Malmö, protesters carrying Palestinian flags and banners demanded that Israel be boycotted at the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in the city.

Protesters carried a banner over the Eurovision logo calling for a boycott of Israel.

Another banner featured blood-like red stains and a pair of scissors cutting the cord of a microphone adorned with an Israeli flag.

CALLS CONTINUE

Many countries across Europe had called for Israel to be excluded from the Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held in Malmö, Sweden, on May 11.

In Iceland, the musicians' association called on the national broadcaster RUV in December 2023 to withdraw from the 2024 Eurovision contest.

The Association of Icelandic Composers and Lyricists (FTT) had demanded that RUV "take a stand against the war and the killing of innocent children and civilians."

Recalling that Russia was excluded from Eurovision in 2022 due to the war in Ukraine, the FTT had requested that the 2024 Eurovision be boycotted if Israel participates.

The left-wing Podemos Party, which provides external support to Spain's minority left-wing coalition government, demanded in a statement on January 1 that Israel be expelled from the Eurovision Song Contest due to its indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Gaza.

'WE ARE FACING GENOCIDE'

Moroccan-born Canadian singer La Zarra, who represented France in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, called for Israel to be excluded from the song contest on January 10, stating, "Unfortunately, we are once again facing a massacre against the Palestinian people, genocide, and attacks in the West Bank and Lebanon."

On January 10, 1,000 people in Sweden, including artists and music industry officials, collected signatures demanding that "Israel be excluded from the Eurovision Song Contest."

The artists demanded that Sweden withdraw from the competition if Israel's participation is not prevented.