Greta Thunberg Arrested at Eurovision Finals Amid Israel Protests

At the Eurovision song competition’s final round, Israeli singer Eden Golan’s advancement to the last stage was accompanied by a wave of protests in Malmo, Sweden, demanding Israel’s exclusion from the event due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Despite the controversy, Golan remained determined, poised to perform later on Saturday amid tight security measures and advisories to remain in her hotel room for safety when not on stage.

Meanwhile, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was among the thousands of protesters in Malmo, advocating for Israel’s expulsion from the competition. The situation escalated when Thunberg was arrested by Swedish police during a confrontation on Saturday afternoon, as reported by the BBC.

The protests had been brewing for days, with large crowds gathering on Saturday ahead of the finals. The atmosphere was tense, with calls for Israel’s expulsion from the competition echoing through the streets of Malmo. The controversy surrounding Golan’s participation had intensified, with the 20-year-old singer facing backlash, including being booed during dress rehearsals and formal performances.

In a separate development, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was expelled from the competition on Saturday morning following an investigation by Swedish police based on a complaint from a female production crew member. Although no charges were filed, the European Broadcasting Union deemed it inappropriate for Klein to continue in the contest.

The news of Klein’s disqualification sparked false speculation linking the incident to Golan, causing tensions to flare at a press conference earlier in the week. During the conference, Golan was asked if she believed her presence posed a safety threat to other contestants. However, the EBU clarified that the incident involving Klein was unrelated to any other participant.

The protests in Malmo had been highly anticipated, with Swedish police expecting a turnout of 20,000 protesters on Saturday, according to the Times of Israel. The situation remained volatile as the competition drew closer to its climax, with Croatia emerging as the betting favorite to win, closely followed by Israel, according to Eurovision World.

The controversy surrounding Israel’s participation in Eurovision stemmed from pro-Palestinian sentiments, calling for a boycott of the competition and other events as the conflict in Gaza persisted. Despite pressure, the EBU stood firm on its decision not to exclude Israel from the event. However, Golan was asked to change the lyrics of her original entry song, ‘Hurricane,’ which was inspired by the events of Hamas’ attack on Israel, to comply with the competition’s non-political rule.

In a video statement earlier in the week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support for Golan, acknowledging the challenges she faced but urging her to remain steadfast. Meanwhile, Thunberg accused Israel of ‘artwashing’ its actions in Gaza, alleging that the country was using the competition to distract from what she described as a ‘genocide’ of the Palestinian people.