The completed Eurovision stage at Malmo Arena is shown at a press conference in Malmo, Sweden on April 25, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest said on May 2 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 buyers are only allowed to bring and display flags that represent countries that take part in the event, as well as the rainbow-colored flag.

Also Read: Bloody Thursday: On Israel’s war and the situation in Gaza

The Geneva-based EBU reserves the right “to remove any other flags or symbols, clothing, items and banners being used for the likely purpose of instrumentalizing the TV shows,” she told The Associated Press in a text message.

Swedish news agency TT reported that the anyone who tries to bring a Palestinian flag or a sign with a political message will be stopped at the entrance by guards.

Martin Österdahl, the contest’s Executive Supervisor told TT that “these rules are the same as last year. There is no change.”

National flags are a common sight during the contest as fans cheer on their country’s acts and those they support.

The glitzy gala, which draws hundreds of millions of viewers each year, is hosting the event from May 7-11 in Malmo in southern Sweden, following last year’s victory by Loreen for its performance of “Tattoo” last year.

Winners earn the right for their country to host the following year’s event: Sweden is set to host for a record-equalling 7th time.

Swedish police have warned that security will be tight, citing a threat of terrorism in the wealthy Nordic country.

Pro-Palestinian activists who want Israel — a former winner — out of the Eurovision Song Contest have announced large rallies in downtown Malmo, several kilometers (miles) from the Malmo Arena contest venue.

Last month Swedish police said they had received an application for a demonstration in Malmo to burn a copy of the Quran before the contest. Sweden raised its terror threat level last year following a series of burnings of the Quran that triggered protests in the Muslim world.

In recent weeks, spillover reaction around the world to the nearly 7-month war between Israel and Hamas has fanned large protests on U.S. university campuses and beyond.

Tel Aviv, Israel:

Israel has agreed to revise the lyrics of its potential submission to the Eurovision Song Contest after the contest organizers took issue with verses that appeared to reference Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, Israel’s national broadcaster Kan said on Sunday.

Eurovision, which this year will take place on May 7-11 in the Swedish city of Malmo, bills itself as a non-political event and can disqualify contestants deemed to have breached that rule. Broadcaster Kan is tasked with choosing Israel’s entry.

The leading Israeli submission is “October Rain”, a ballad sung by female soloist Eden Golan.

According to lyrics leaked to the media, and later confirmed by Kan, it includes lines such as “There’s no air left to breathe” and “They were all good children, each one of them” – apparent allusions to people who holed up in shelters as Hamas gunmen carried out a killing and kidnapping spree at an outdoor music festival and other sites which sparked the war in Gaza.

Kan said it has asked the writers of “October Rain” and second place finalist “Dance Forever” to revise their lyrics, while also preserving their artistic freedom. It will then officially choose the song to send the Eurovision committee.

The European Broadcasting Union, which organizes Eurovision and has previously said it was in the process of scrutinising the lyrics, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Kan’s decision.

The Israeli broadcaster said it agreed to make the changes following a request from the country’s president, Isaac Herzog.

“The president emphasized that at this time in particular, when those who hate us seek to push aside and boycott the state of Israel from every stage, Israel must sound its voice with pride and its head high and raise its flag in every world forum, especially this year,” Kan said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)