Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest said Thursday they reserve the right to remove any Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian symbols at the show next week in Sweden.
The announcement came amid heightened tensions surrounding Israel’s participation in the annual music competition over its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, now in its seventh month. Pro-Palestinian groups are expected to stage large protests in Malmo to raise awareness of their cause.
Michelle Roverelli, the head of communications for the European Broadcasting Union that runs the show each year, said ticket holders are only allowed to bring and display flags representing countries that take part in the event, as well as the rainbow-colored flag.
The Eurovision Song Contest is an incredibly easy thing to boycott
I assume they’re allowing the Israeli flag?
Israel is a competitor, so there’s no question the Israeli flag will be shown at least as a logo on television.
What a hill to die on. They banned Russia; it would have been such an easy and consistent decision to ban Israel too, especially when they started deliberately starving Palestinian civilians. Can’t wait for the PR response the moment this Genocide becomes officially recognized, “wir haben es nicht gewusst“ 2.0
The gay can stay, but Palestine go away.
I think it’s perfectly fitting that Palestine’s flag be on display, taking into consideration all the meddling and financial support going on, which begs the question: what other flags would need to be on display? Afghani? Iraqi?
If we’re going to have representation, let us have representation.
palestine isn’t a member of the european broadcast union nor is it involved in eurovision why is it fitting that it would be on display?
Bro, why is Israel even in there? “They are in the broadcast union” is not the gotcha you think it is. Isreal neighbours are Egypt, Yemen, Iran and so forth.
The fact that you don’t see that European intervention and colonization in the middle east merits representation in European media shows a disconnect that can only be described as pure unadulterated repression. If you then also try to say “music” or “the arts” shouldn’t be political", I can only assume you actually like to listen to the music that comes from EuroVision.
If you want to continue with the financing of geo-political fuckery under the guise of “liberalism”, you’ve got to face it as well. You shouldn’t get to bury your head in the sand.
That being said, Palestine flags should be prominently features in the Isreali part of the crowd, since Isreal occupies their land.
It’s only fair to have proper representation.
Bro, why is Israel even in there?
because they’re a member of the broadcast union (and have been for 60 years) and that’s what eurovision is for? it wasn’t supposed to be a gotcha, i was just stating a fact.
That being said, Palestine flags should be prominently features in the Isreali part of the crowd, since Isreal occupies their land.
It’s only fair to have proper representation.
it’s literally a song competition… not a debate
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Will flags and symbols from Ukraine also be banned?
Why would they be?
Ukraine was attacked by Russia which started a war. Israel was attacked by Palestine which started a war. You should be asking if Russian flags and symbols will also be banned if you want to find an equivalence.
Israel was attacked by
… guerillas from …
Palestine which
… gave Israel the pretext it’d hoped for after decades of subjugation, of land theft, and victimization, so Irael followed their plan and …
started a war
There. Fixed that for ya.
Guerillas/government. Potato/potato
You picked the wrong side of history my dude
No, I’m quite happy to not support jihadist terrorist organisations like Hamas, ISIS, Hezbollah, the Taliban, etc. But you do you if you think that’s the moral high ground
Yet people will still watch this shit
Given the amount of protest and potential terrorism the event is likely to attract, the security services will have to impose a ring of steel on Malmö and surrounding areas. Chances are that Israeli military contractors will be involved, installing surveillance technology tested on Palestinians and integrating it into CCTV camera networks, MAC address sniffers, real-time transport databases and feeds from intelligence services. As a bonus, if Sweden quietly keeps the system after Eurovision is over, it may prove useful in cracking down on the violent gang wars taking place there.
good it’s a song contest it’s not the place for politics
