Eurovision 2024: Protests continue Malmö ahead of Israel's performance at the second semi-final

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 has plunged deeper into the political climate more than the European Broadcasting Union would have hoped, as protests are being held in Malmö’s main square ahead of Israel’s semi-final performance this evening (May 9 2024.)

Several police vans arrived at Stortorget before Eden Golan, who is representing Israel, performed this evening, with the Swedish Police Authority stationed themselves at multiple entry points to the square while tourists took pictures of the fountain and the town hall.

Officers from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark have been patrolling Malmö Arena, the city centre, and Eurovision Village due to calls to exclude Israel from the contest amid the war in Gaza, while a pro-Palestinian march will take place in the afternoon, which a spokesman for the force said would cause “disturbance to traffic”.

Golan, 20, will compete against artists from Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Denmark. In March, the Danish entrant Saba joined a joint statement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the safe return of Israeli hostages. 

However, the artists have stopped short of boycotting the music contest, saying that they “firmly believe in the unifying power of music”.

Organisers of Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), hit out in April against the “unacceptable and totally unfair” abuse of competitors amid “the backdrop of a terrible war in the Middle East”.

The group, which approved Israeli broadcaster Kan which allowed the country to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest, have long taken a firm stance against political messages and non-competing countries' flags and symbols.

Israel's involvement “overshadowing” Eurovision 2024.

One Eurovision fan has defended the booing Eden Golan received during the dress rehearsal for her song “Hurricane,” which was reworked from an early track October Rain, thought to be a reference to the attack by Hamas.

Rory Flynn told the PA news agency the country’s inclusion in this year’s event is “overshadowing the competition.”

“We feel that it’s important to make our voices heard in the competition in the arena. Others are doing a full boycott – and full respect to people who are doing a full boycott – but we think it’s important that our voices are heard in the arena and around Malmo.”

“This song is a propaganda song. OK, it was originally called October Rain and now it’s called Hurricane, you can see there, it’s the same melody; the lyrics have been changed at the request of the EBU (European Broadcast Union), but it is the same song.

“And it is about justifying Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and I think that says it all really, you know, I think it’s quite appropriate to kind of boo that propaganda.”