As Swedish media report, the large digital sign just outside Malmö Live was vandalized last night. Someone threw blood-red paint on the pedestal of the sign and wrote pro-Palestinian slogans.

This was discovered in the morning hours. On the base of the sign, it was written “Free Gaza”. The slogan of this years edition of Eurovision Song Contest “United by music” and “We are one” were destroyed and covered in blood-red paint. The police have not received any report about the vandalism during the night, but they will file a criminal complaint against an unknown suspect.

Israel’s participation in Eurovision has provoked strong protests directed both towards municipality of Malmö  and Swedish broadcaster, SVT, despite the fact that it is the EBU decides who gets to compete at the contest. The European Broadcasting Union has been in talks with the Israeli broadcaster about the change of their Eurovision entry as they thought that the song which KAN presented to them with the title “October rain” was too political. On 7th of March it has been confirmed that Eden Golan will represent Israel at Eurovision 2024 with the song “Hurricane”. Last night their entry has been released on the official Eurovision YouTube channel.

In January, 1005 Swedish artists signed a petition calling on both SVT and EBU to exclude the country from the competition. “We expect both the EBU and SVT to be consistent in their stance towards countries that violate democratic values and human rights,” wrote the artists in the appeal.