In the News

Eurovision braces for its most tense contest yet, as protesters and artists bristle at Israel’s presence

CNN, May 7

In the seven-decade history of Eurovision, it’s unlikely that a three-word slogan has been repeated so readily by the song contest’s extravagant contestants, tireless organizers or cagey media managers: The world, they insist, can be “United by Music.” But Malmo, the Swedish city hosting the kitsch cultural phenomenon this year, is increasingly divided by Eurovision. Saturday’s Eurovision final will be watched by more than 150 million people around the world on TV and around 15,000 fans gathered inside the Malmo Arena. But the concert may be only the second-best attended event in the city that evening; a pro-Palestinian protest, calling for Israel’s removal from the contest, is expecting at least 20,000 attendees, and possibly far more.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/06/europe/eurovision-israel-controversy-malmo-intl-cmd/index.html