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Eurovision in crisis with cops braced for huge protests & even UK parties cancelled as Israeli singer is tipped to win
Israeli singer Eden Golan already had to tweak her song to get around Eurovision's ban on political acts
EUROVISION has been plunged into crisis ahead of tomorrow night’s final, with more than 20,000 pro-Palestine protesters expected.
Swedish police are braced for trouble in Malmo amid anger at the inclusion of Israeli singer Eden Golan.
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UK venues have also been warned not to screen the event or face a backlash.
PM Rishi Sunak slammed Gaza protests in Sweden.
He said they were “outrageous” and calls to boycott the 68-year-old competition are “unfair”.
Swedish authorities have launched a massive security operation around the Malmo Arena, where a march is planned ahead of tomorrow night’s final.
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Golan, 20, was tonight ordered to stay in her hotel room by Israel’s national security agency, whose chief has flown in to the city to personally supervise arrangements.
She was earlier escorted by a phalanx of guards to rehearsals.
Meanwhile, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the singer for performing in the face of “an ugly wave of anti-semitism”.
He told her: “So be blessed, and know that when they boo you, we are cheering you on.”
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Golan is set to perform a ballad entitled Hurricane, which was originally called October Rain, an apparent reference to the Hamas terror attack which killed 1,200 Israelis.
That fell foul of Eurovision rules banning political content, so a tweaked and renamed version was allowed.
Israel Eurovision singer Eden Golan celebrates reaching final & is among favourites to WIN as cops clash with protesters
But Golan, one of the favourites to win, has come under mounting pressure to pull out, including from other Eurovision contestants.
In the UK, pro-Palestine campaigners urged followers to pressure venues to shut down planned Eurovision parties - or face their wrath.
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Two of London’s biggest events have been cancelled, with four axed in Brighton as activists threaten to picket.
Action group Brighton Queers for Palestine posted the contact numbers for bars which are going ahead with Eurovision parties — a hugely popular annual tradition for many.
They told followers to “call and ask them to reconsider”, accusing any venues that screen the contest of “complicity in genocide”.
The Royal Vauxhall Tavern in South London made the decision to close earlier this week, telling customers it “will not be open for any event on Saturday night”.
Eurovision fans are torn over wanting to celebrate music, and acknowledging the suffering in Gaza
By Howell Davies, Associate Bizarre Editor
THE week of Eurovision is always my favourite of the year — a celebration of pop music in all of its beautiful, fun and ridiculous glory.
But this year, the contest feels a long way from its tagline “united in music”.
In Malmo, the atmosphere is tense.
Thousands of fans have descended on the city for the event, but the celebrations are muted and it feels like everyone is on edge.
More than 70,000 Muslims call the city home and from my hotel room on Thursday I could hear pro-Palestine protestors in a nearby square chanting: “How many kids have you killed today?”
Out on the streets there are Palestinian flags everywhere — and even fake blood smeared on some Eurovision pop-up installations.
And just last week, there was another protest where a Koran was set alight outside the city’s cathedral.
There are snipers on the roofs of buildings around the arena and there is strict airport-style security in the venue itself, where all bags of any size are banned.
That is both reassuring and worrying in equal measure.
Eden Golan, representing Israel, has been warned to stay in her hotel room when she’s not performing.
There are armed police patrolling outside the hotel and other guests have described seeing plain-clothes agents with earpieces on duty at the breakfast buffet.
The controversy has only seemed to increase her chances though and Eden is now second favourite.
However this has caused even more anguish among fans like me — torn over wanting to have a good time and celebrate music, but also acknowledging the suffering happening in Gaza.
It’s taken its toll on the performers themselves, who have received a deluge of abuse on social media for not boycotting the contest and have been banned from showing any support for Palestine on stage.
Some of the frustrated acts have even been goading each other, leading to tonight’s press conference being cancelled at the last minute.
I’m amazed none of them have pulled out, although that could still happen.
Asked if competing posed a safety risk for the other contestants, Eden said: “I think it’s safe for everyone and we wouldn’t be here [if not].”
I hope so.
But it’s hard to see where Eurovision goes from here, now that it has become such an inherently political event.
The famous venue - which has hosted the likes of Lily Savage and former Eurovision winners Bucks Fizz - said they feared clashes taking place and decided instead to “stay clear”.
Eurovision has always prided itself on putting politics aside.
Golan said after the semi-final she was “overwhelmed with emotions”.
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She added: “It is truly such an honour to be here on stage, representing [Israel] with pride.
“I’m so grateful for everyone who voted and took part in supporting us, and me.”