Riot cops arrest pro-Palestine mob trying to storm Eurovision final as Israel’s Eden Golan performs after police escort
RIOT cops have arrested tens of pro-Palestine protesters trying to storm the Eurovision final.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg was amongst those detained by authorities as Israel's Eden Golan performed inside the Malmo Arena after her police escort.
The 20-year-old performer, who was forced to stay in her hotel room amid fears she may be targeted by pro-Palestine protesters, travelled as part of a convoy ahead of tonight's final.
A mob of 20,000 pro-Palestine supporters took to the streets of Malmo ahead of the Eurovision finale as tensions over Israel's inclusion hit boiling point.
A number of arrests have been made outside the arena after some protesters refused to move to the designated zone.
At least 50 protesters were detained after attempting to surge into the gates of the Malmo Arena and confront fans.
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A hundred plain clothes and uniformed cops stormed an impromptu Gaza protest set up far outside the designated area approved by authorities.
A wall of cops managed to push the estimated 1,000 activists back away from the gates of the arena, but police still had to form a protective shield for terrified guests to safely walk from a local train station to the turnstiles.
A dozen armed police officers arrived to reinforce the arena just 15 minutes before the contest began.
Terrified ticket holders were told to hurry inside the stadium as the furious mob got within feet of their faces chanting: “Shame on you”.
It is the first time protesters have directly targeted Eurovision attendees, including tourists, from other countries.
A dozen activists were seen resisting arrest or scrapping with officers, with some requiring six cops to restrain them before they could be loaded into police vans.
One man fought cops and refused to move from the floor as he was detained for trying to push through officers into a pathway full of fans.
Activists including climate zealot Greta Thunberg were braced for a showdown with Swedish police as fears mounted that a "ring of steel" placed around the event would not be enough to stop protesters from disrupting the already crisis-hit song contest.
The young Swede was herself arrested as pictures emerged of her being dragged away by police officers.
About an hour later, she reemerged outside the Malmo Arena before police chased her away once more.
A large new group of protesters has since arrived at the scene, local reports claim.
Albeit a little further back than the first group, police have scrambled to stop the crowd from getting any closer to the arena.
Demonstrators today stuck hundreds of stickers - changing the contest's slogan from "united by music" to "united against genocide" - across the historic city centre.
Eurovision posters were defaced with the Palestinian flags and signs accused Israel of "killing children" in Gaza and Rafah.
In the hours before the grand final, activist chiefs set up a stage in the back of a pickup truck in a corner of Malmo's Stortorget market square.
Thousands of protesters marched through packed streets holding banners, including one which read: "Welcome to genocide song contest."
Minor scraps seen between protesters and security staff threatened to spark more severe clashes as a large crowd joined in chants calling for the destruction of Israel.
Some protesters sang "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free", as others chanted "Eurovision, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide" and "There is only one solution, intifada, revolution".
One demonstrator carried a vile sign with Hitler moustaches super-imposed on snaps of Rishi Sunak, US President Joe Biden, and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.
A message under the photoshopped pictures likened the war in Gaza to the Holocaust, reading: "What happened to never again?"
Dressed in head-to-toe combat-style camouflage gear, one protester wore printed photos of dead children from Gaza who were "murdered by Israel".
Some protesters said they felt sorry for Israeli singer Eden, but insisted she should not have been allowed to compete at all.
Smoothie vendor Moyad, who set up a juice stall with Palestine flags and "Boycott Israel" stickers for the protest, said: "We are protesting peacefully against Israel coming to Eurovision.
"Last time, Russia was expelled for similar reasons and we think the same should happen to Israel."
An estimated 12,000 people marched in Malmo, which is around 20 per cent Muslim, before the final, with than 20,000 protesting ahead of tonight's event, according to cops.
Police bosses have already drafted in cops from around the country to boost protection for the public and performers including Eden.
A Malmo Police spokeswoman told The Sun the force had "prepared for the worst", with cops also using dozens of drones to monitor protest movements and respond to potential incidents.
The protesters got the jump on officials by launching a surprise late-night march on Friday, with chants of "Intifada, revolution" and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."
Some Palestine supporters at the march said they believed Israel should not exist and that vile abuse of brave Eden was fair game.
Eurovision singers yesterday came under fire for bullying the Israeli contestant, after which one of the alleged culprits, Dutchman Joost Klein, was banned from a dress rehearsal for the grand final - and later axed from the competition.
Booing was heard from the crowd before, during, and after Eden's performance in the semi-finals on Thursday.
Eurovision winner Loreen has even refused to hand over the trophy to the Israeli if she wins tonight.
The two-time champion has told producers she will break protocol and not do the regular handover due to the nation’s conflict in Gaza.
Eden had been ordered to stay in her hotel room at all times except when performing, as thousands of pro-Palestine demonstrators protested Israel's participation in the contest due to its war with Hamas in Gaza.
The Sun understands at least 100 cops and counter-terror specialists were involved in the operation to move Eden from her luxury hotel to the arena four and a half miles away in central Malmo.
Observers watched as a long convoy of black and cop cars, some with flashing lights, drove along a road as a police helicopter scanned for potential threats overhead.
Up to 5,000 people took to the streets of Malmo yesterday, the crowds sending up smoke in the colours of the Palestinian flag and carrying signs with images of victims of the war in Gaza.
The Israeli secret service yesterday flew to Sweden to bolster the already-massive Eurovision security operation amid chilling ISIS threats, with some of the furious mob in Malmo found to be armed.
Israelis were earlier this month warned not to attend the Eurovision event as there were fears terror groups would "exploit protests" to cause carnage.
At the time, Israel's National Security Council cited "well-founded concerns" of terrorist attacks.
Crises among entries
Ireland's entry Bambie Thug, 31, today missed their final dress rehearsal as there was a "situation" backstage which they felt needed "urgent attention" from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is organising the event.
And 34-year-old French entry Slimane interrupted his performance to say the contest should be "united by music, yes, but for love, for peace".
Controversial Eurovision act Joost, 26, was meanwhile axed from the competition, as police investigate an "incident" reported by a female member of the contest's production crew.
The incident which led to the singer being disqualified came after he was filmed when he had "repeatedly indicated" that he did not want to be, according to reports from Dutch broadcaster Avrotros.
A statement posted to its website said Joost was filmed when he had "just gotten off stage and had to rush to the greenroom".
"This led to a threatening movement from Joost towards the camera. Joost did not touch the camera woman," the statement said.
Avrotros added that it "finds the penalty very heavy and disproportionate", saying they "stand for good manners - let there be no misunderstanding about that - but in our view, an exclusion order is not proportional to this incident".
The statement ended saying: "We are very disappointed and upset for the millions of fans who were so excited for tonight. What Joost brought to the Netherlands and Europe shouldn't have ended this way."
Prosecutors take over criminal investigations in Sweden if there are reasonable grounds for suspecting someone has committed an offence.
It means the allegations could take weeks to settle while officials decide whether to charge him with an offence.
The man has not been arrested but was quizzed by officers at the arena for more than 30 minutes last night, it is understood.
The police spokeswoman added: "There is a plaintiff we have identified.
While the legal process takes its course, it would not be appropriate for him (Joost) to continue in the Contest
The European Broadcasting Union
"She is not one of the artists at the competition but an employee of Eurovision."
The EBU said yesterday that it was investigating an "incident" which involved Joost, stating: "While the legal process takes its course, it would not be appropriate for him (Joost) to continue in the Contest."
A follow-up statement said Dutch viewers would still be allowed to vote in the grand final and added that the Dutch jury result is still valid.
The EBU also said that it will inform all telecommunications partners that the Netherlands is no longer taking part and will endeavour to block the lines for song number five, which was Klein's performance slot.
A petition calling for Joost Klein to be allowed back into tonight's contest has already garnered more than 83,000 signatures.
Further controversy followed when the spokesperson for Eurovision Song Contest's Finnish jury said he had stepped down from the role.
Last year's runner-up of the competition, Kaarija, said announcing the points "does not feel right".
Posting on his Instagram story, Kaarija, wrote: "I have decided not to participate as the spokesperson for the Finnish jury in tonight's Eurovision finale.
"Giving out the points does not feel right."
The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final will be broadcast live tonight at 8pm UK time.
A total of 25 countries will compete for the glass microphone trophy.
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Here are all the others through to the final:
Serbia: TEYA DORA - RAMONDA
Slovenia: Raiven - Veronika
Ukraine: alyona alyona & Jerry Heil - Teresa & Maria
Finland: Windows95man - No Rules!
Cyprus: Silia Kapsis - Liar
Croatia: Baby Lasagna - Rim Tim Tagi Dim
Ireland: Bambie Thug - Doomsday Blue
Luxembourg: TALI - Fighter
Lithuania: Silvester Belt - Luktelk
Portugal: iolanda - Grito
Sweden: Marcus & Martinus - Unforgettable
Israel: Eden Golan - Hurricane
Spain: Nebulossa - ZORRA
Estonia: 5MIINUST x Puuluup - (nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi
Ireland: Bambie Thug - Doomsday Blue
Latvia: Dons - Hollow
Greece: Marina Satti - ZARI
Norway: Gate - Ulveham
Switzerland: Nemo - The Code
Georgia: Nutsa Buzaladze - Firefighter
Austria: Kaleen - We Will Rave
Why can Israel compete at Eurovision but Russia can't?
ISRAEL was allowed to compete in this year's Eurovision Song Contest but Russia has been excluded since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the event, has defended its ruling that Israel is allowed to compete despite its war in Gaza.
It claimed that it would be a "political move" to bar Israel from competing.
Defending the inclusion of Israel, the EBU’s director general Noel Curran said, "The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political music event and a competition between public service broadcasters who are members of the EBU.
"It is not a contest between governments."
On February 25 2022, the EBU excluded Russia from participating before it was due to perform in the semi-final.
At the time, it said Russia's inclusion could bring the competition into disrepute "in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine".
Citing the 2022 exclusion of Russia this week, Curran said, “The Russian broadcasters themselves were suspended from the EBU due to their persistent breaches of membership obligations and the violation of public service values."
Israel has won Eurovision five times in the past 50 years it has taken part in the singing competition.