STORY: :: Around a hundred people gather at a pro-Israeli protest
to support Israel's Eurovison contestant Eden Golan
:: Malmo, Sweden
:: May 9, 2024
:: Max Broberg, Demonstrator
Eden Golan (Israel's participant at the Eurovision Song Contest) she has an amazing voice. And that should be in the competition. And when they're saying terrible things even about her. I should be here. I can't be silent. I couldn't even before. But even today, it's really important to be here.
:: Golan on Thursday qualified
for Saturday's grand final
Some 100,000 visitors have gathered in the southern Swedish city for the annual kitsch-fest, which is taking place amid protests and boycotts over the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
A large crowd of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered on Malmo's central square Stortorget, some 4.35 miles (7 kilometres) from the competition venue, waiving Palestinian flags and shouting "boycott Israel".
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the event, has resisted calls for Israel to be excluded but asked the country to modify the lyrics of its original song "October Rain", which appeared to reference the Hamas attack.
