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The Gaza war overshadows the ESC: Opening act Eric Saade shows his solidarity with the people of Gaza. And he’s not the only one.
Malmö – At the 68th Eurovision Song Contest This time it’s not the music that’s in the foreground, but the Gaza-War. Opening act Eric Saade from Sweden used his appearance in the semifinals of the contest to demonstrate his solidarity with the people of Gaza by wearing a Palestinian scarf.
“Humanly understandable, but ultimately a violation of the ESC guidelines,” reports ESC compact. Showing the Palestinian flag and corresponding symbols is prohibited in the show because the country is not taking part in the competition. But the Palestinian scarf worn by Saade could still fall into a gray area, according to the organizers.
Because of Israel’s participation in the ESC: Many distance themselves from the competition
Even before the event, the mood was tense: “Since Israel is taking part in this year’s ESC, there is one Tendency among artists in Sweden to distance themselves from the competition or to boycott it,” ESC compact quoted the organizer as saying.
It remains to be seen whether the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the ESC, will impose a penalty on Saade or the Swedish television SVT, which produces the show. SVT manager Ebba Adielsson already told the daily newspaper Aftonbladet: “We find it sad that he is using his shareholding in this way. Eric Saade is aware of the rules that apply when you are on stage at the Eurovision Song Contest.”
Saade is said not to have worn the Palestinian scarf around his wrist during rehearsals. His performance was a surprise for both the audience and the organizer.
Artist from Ireland is not allowed to show statement on the Middle East conflict at the ESC
It wasn’t just Saade who used the event in Malmö to draw attention to this to draw attention to the issue of the Gaza war. After reaching the final of the ESC, Bambie Thug from Ireland criticized the organizers for insisting on changing body paint. It was also a statement about the Middle East conflict.
Thug (“Doomsday Blue”) actually had the words “truce” and “freedom” written on his body in the Ogham script used in Ireland in the early Middle Ages – as a reference to the situation in the Gaza Strip. “It was very important for me because I am for justice and for peace,” said Thug after the first semi-final on Tuesday evening (May 8) in Malmö, as reported by the British news agency PA. “Unfortunately I had to change these messages to ‘Crowned the Witch’, which was an order from the EBU.”
Palestinian flags and symbols will not be allowed at the ESC in Malmö
The performance, whose show played with occult rituals, caused a lot of artistic attention that evening. The song “Doomsday Blue” is a mix of chanting, hard electronic sounds and a gentle ballad. It is the first time since 2018 that an Irish entry has reached the ESC final. Thug is a non-binary person, so he doesn’t see himself as a woman or a man, but thinks outside of these categories.
A spokeswoman for the EBU, which organizes the ESC, said: “The writing that was visible on Bambie Thug’s body during dress rehearsals violated the competition rules, which are intended to protect the non-political nature of the event.” The Irish delegation then agreed to change the text for the live show. The EBU had previously warned that Palestinian flags and symbols would not be allowed in the Malmö Arena. Israel is traditionally a participating country in the ESC.
World situation overshadows competition: ESC wants to remain apolitical
After the Gaza war broke out as a result of the attack Hamas In Israel this year there have been repeated discussions, especially on social networks, about the country’s election, which the EBU has always resolutely opposed. Artist Eden Golan, who represents Israel, had to change her lyrics and song title under pressure from the EBU – the organizers initially found it too political, reports the German Press Agency.
The declared non-political stance behind the ESC is often the subject of debate. The world situation repeatedly overshadows the competition. As a rule, only very abstract statements are tolerated on stage. In Liverpool last year, the British organizers showed ruins and rockets in an intermission show and also included a dance performance in a subway station – as a reference to the air war against Ukrainian cities (bg/dpa).
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