There was a chaotic build-up to yesterday’s grand final of the Eurovision song contest in Malmö, Sweden.
A Dutch entry was disqualified, another withdrew from rehearsals and a third had broken rules with an on-stage speech, calling for peace.
The drama was unfolding minute by minute against a backdrop of protests over Israel’s participation in the show.
Thousands of pro-Palestinian marchers gathered at the venue.
Some chanted “Eurovision, united by genocide,” reflecting the strength of feeling over the humanitarian toll of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which was triggered by the deadly Hamas attacks last October.
Eurovision, which has always billed itself as non-political, has resisted calls for Israel to be excluded from the contest.
However, they did demand that the country’s performer, Eden Golan, change the lyrics of her entry, titled Hurricane, to remove references to the October 7 attack.
Golan, who is just 20 years old, was under armed guard as she prepared to sing at the contest, with heightened security throughout the host city.
Several other competitors had stressed their opposition to the Israel-Gaza war, although none have pulled out – choosing to abide by Eurovision’s slogan, “united by music”.
The march through central Malmo was large and loud, but it was peaceful. Thousands of people joined the protest, chanting pro-Palestinian slogans and condemnation of the war in Gaza interspersed with chants of “Boycott Eurovision!”
Many were waving giant Palestinian flags, while others had them draped over bicycles and children’s prams. At several points, men in the crowd set off smoke flares in the red and green of the Palestinian flag, as the drumming and chanting intensified.
The protesters streamed past cafes and Saturday shoppers, who stood back and watched.
The march was authorised by the city authorities and although there were many police on duty – we saw vans of riot police, and both plain-clothed and regular officers – most kept a vigilant distance.
The atmosphere was calm – although the chants were passionate, sometimes ear-splitting.
At one point a woman unfurled a sign demanding the return of Israeli hostages from Gaza, telling the BBC she felt they had been forgotten in the noise of the pro-Palestinian rallies.
Several police officers stood close by, as if shielding her from the crowd across the street.
An Israeli man, in town for Eurovision, told the BBC the protests went beyond condemning Israeli military action, with calls for “intifada, revolution” and other chants.
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