MALMO, Sweden (AP) — The Netherlands’ contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically ousted from the competition just hours before Saturday’s final of the pan-continental pop contest, which has been dogged by protests over Israel’s participation.
The European Broadcasting Union, organizer of the contest, said Swedish police were investigating “a complaint made by a female member of the production crew” against Dutch artist Joost Klein. The organizer said it would not be appropriate for Klein to attend the event in Malmö while the legal process is ongoing.
Although Eurovision’s motto is “united by music”, this year’s event has proven exceptionally divisive. Israel’s involvement has attracted large pro-Palestinian demonstrations, with protesters saying the country should be excluded because of its conduct in the war in the Gaza Strip.
Read more: Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters march against Israel’s participation in Eurovision
26-year-old Dutch singer and rapper Klein became a favorite of both punters and fans with his song “Europapa”.
He failed to perform at two dress rehearsals on Friday, and the EBU said it was investigating an “incident”. Although rumors were swirling that the incident was connected to Israel’s delegation, organizers said it “did not involve any other artist or member of the delegation.”
Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, one of dozens of public broadcasters who collectively finance and broadcast the contest, said it “finds the disqualification disproportionate and is shocked by the decision.”
“We deeply regret this and will consider the matter later,” Avrotros said in a statement.
It all leads to a chaotic climax to an event that attracts both praise and derision with its charming, quirky ethos and obsession with pop.
Thousands of people gathered in central Malmo on Saturday to march for the second time this week through Sweden’s third-largest city, which has a large Muslim population, to boycott Israel and demand a ceasefire in the seven-month-long war.
In Finland, a group of about 40 protesters stormed the headquarters of public broadcaster YLE on Saturday morning and demanded its withdrawal from the song contest due to Israel’s involvement.
At the Malmö Arena several kilometers from the city centre, 25 acts – narrowed down from 37 participants by two semi-final runoffs – are scheduled to perform three-minute songs in front of a live audience of thousands and an estimated 180 million viewers worldwide.
The tension and nervousness were palpable in the hours before the final. Many of the performers were absent from the Olympic-style cast entrance at the beginning of the final dress rehearsal, although all except Ireland’s Bambi Thug performed.
The Irish artist released a statement saying the absence was due to a situation “I felt required immediate attention from the EBU” and told fans: “I hope to see you on stage later.”
French singer Slimane shortened his song “Mon Amour” to a speech at the dress rehearsal and urged people to “unite with music, yes – but with love, for peace.”
This year’s Eurovision entries range from the emotional to the eccentric. They include the goofy 1990s memories of Finland’s Windows95man, who hatches from a giant egg on stage wearing very little clothing. Bambi Thug summoned magical spirits to the stage and brought a screaming coach to Malmö, while Spain’s Nebulosa boldly reprized a term used as a derogatory term for women in “Zora.”
Favorites include Swiss singer Nemo – who will be the first non-binary Eurovision winner if his operatic song “The Code” tops the voting – and Croatia’s Baby Lasagna. Their song “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” is a funky rock number that raises the issue of young Croatians leaving the country in search of a better life.
Dean Vuletic, an expert on contest history, said that despite the contest’s reputation for disposable bubblegum pop, Eurovision often tackles “political and social issues like feminism, European integration, gender identity”.
“And I think they’re very interesting songs to look at, especially because they’re ranked highest by the bookmakers,” he said.
However, occasionally, songs violate the contest’s ban on overtly “political” statements. Eurovision organizers asked Israel to change the original title of their song, “October Rain” – an apparent reference to the October 7 Hamas attack that killed nearly 1,200 people in Israel and triggered a war in Gaza.
The odds have escalated after Israeli singer Eden Golan performed a power ballad, now titled “Hurricane”, in Thursday’s semi-final. Golan faced some criticism in the dress rehearsal, but viewers around the world voted her into the final.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised 20-year-old Golan for performing despite “battling an ugly wave of antisemitism.”
Protesters argue that Israel should not be allowed to take part in the war, which has killed about 35,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
“I don’t think they should be part of this because they are committing crimes against humanity,” said local resident Lorenzo Mayor.
Some Palestinian flags were flown in the auditorium during Saturday’s dress rehearsal, in defiance of a ban on flags other than those of competing countries.
Competing musicians are feeling the pressure, being bombarded with messages and abuse on social media and unable to speak out due to the rules of the competition. Italy’s contestant, Angelina Mango, made a statement on Friday by walking into the Eurovision media center and performing John Lennon’s “Imagine” while dozens of journalists gathered around her.
Swedish singer Loren, last year’s Eurovision champion – and one of only two artists to win the contest twice – urged people not to turn off the “community of love” that is Eurovision.
“What’s happening in the world today and in different places is distorting and traumatizing all of us,” he told The Associated Press.
“What heals trauma…does trauma heal trauma? Does negativity cure negativity? It doesn’t work that way. The only thing that truly heals trauma – that’s science – is love.
Associated Press writers Hillary Fox in Malmo, Sweden, Jari Tanner in Helsinki and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark contributed to this report.
