The demonstrators point out in particular that Russia was excluded from the competition in 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine. “As Israel carries out genocide in Gaza, where 35,000 people have been killed, including 14,000 children, and Israeli forces invade the town of Rafah, Israel participates in the Eurovision song contest“, deplores Florian Gillard of the Brussels BDS movement.
According to Florian Gillard, several human rights organizations contacted VRT to ask them to cancel the broadcast but the channel refused. “Today we express our dissatisfaction with this decision“, he explains. The organizations also contacted Mustii, the Belgian participant in the competition.
The demonstrators also point out that Russia was excluded from the competition in 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine. They denounce a difference in treatment and ask the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to take the same decision due to the situation in the Middle East.
The EBU presents itself as a “non-political organization“But activists say that’s a lie.”For us, the EBU is absolutely a political organization“, assure Florian Gillard. “The exclusion of Russia in 2022 clearly shows the political role of the organization. Israel uses its participation in the festival to present itself as a democratic and open state.”
The broadcaster also decided to ban political messages and Palestinian flags during the Eurovision contest. “For us, this is an obvious form of censorship“, replies the member of the BDS movement. “Why is a state that has been openly violating human rights and committing genocide for months coming to sing at the Eurovision Song Contest, while artists and audiences are not allowed to show solidarity with the Palestinian people?“
