After concerts and rehearsals against the backdrop of demonstrations against the war in Gaza, the Eurovision Song Contest will rock Malmö, where representatives from 26 countries will compete to succeed Sweden, winner of the previous edition. Croatia, Switzerland and Ukraine are favorites for this annual high mass of kitsch, to be followed on Saturday May 11, 2024 from 9 p.m. live on 20minutes.ch.
Right side: the Malmö Arena, where everything is neon lights, glittering costumes and catchy rhythms. Front side: the incessant ballet of heavily armed police officers on patrol among decorations. Across the city, brightly colored pompoms and pennants rub shoulders with Palestinian flags hanging from windows and balconies.
Inside the Malmö Arena, the organization has, as usual, banned any flags other than those of the participants as well as any banners with political messages. Last year, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which oversees the competition, banned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from speaking.
A keffiyeh comes on stage
But the neutrality of the platform was shaken on Tuesday May 7, 2024, during the first semi-final, by the Swedish singer Eric Saade who, in the number opening the competition, wore a keffiyeh around his arm. A gesture regretted by the EBU and Swedish public television SVT, who claim the apolitical nature of this popular meeting.
“It’s a world in its own right (…) very joyful and colorful, a world in which I feel safe,” confides Nemo, a non-binary Swiss artist. For fans – the city expects up to 100,000 visitors – “it’s what’s on stage that’s important: the contributions, the artists and the music, and not politics,” insists the history professor ideas, Andreas Önnerfors, Eurovision specialist.
This year, the conflict in Ukraine has been overshadowed by the war in Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023. “There must be demonstrations, people must express their opinions, people must boycott,” assures Magnus Børmark, candidate for the Norway with its Gåte group, who, like eight other participants, publicly called for a lasting ceasefire.
Jews prefer to leave the city
Police officers came from all over Sweden but also from Denmark and Norway to reinforce local numbers. Within the Jewish community, some plan to leave the city for the weekend. “I can’t really look forward to Eurovision, although in principle we think, as a congregation, that it is good that everyone is welcome here in Malmö, including Israel,” says a door -speaker, Fredrik Sieradzki.
According to him, the numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrations did not, however, give rise to calls directly targeting the city’s Jews. Security around the synagogue has nevertheless been reinforced. And on social networks, threats were made against the singer representing Israel, Eden Golan.
(afp)
