Pro-Palestinian Protests Outside Eurovision Competition Demand Removal Of Israeli Contestant

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Palestinian-Canadian rapper Belly has surprise-dropped a new album titled “96 Miles From Bethlehem,” which is described as being about “the gift, curse, and fate of being Palestinian” but is clearly inspired by the war in Gaza. The 40-year-old artist, whose real name is Ahmad Balshe, was born in the Palestinian city of Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank — which is located 96 miles from Bethlehem, as the album’s title says — but relocated to Canada with his family when he was 7.

Vanity Fair France has commented after editing a photo of Guy Pearce at the Cannes Film Festival wearing a pin of the Palestinian flag.

Paramore have made a call for donations to support aid to Gaza today (May 29) via their Instagram Stories.It comes as Israel has intensified its military operations in Rafah over the last few days. A report from The Associated Press explained that Israel’s recent shelling and airstrike attacks killed at least 37 people between Monday and Tuesday this week (May 27-28).

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Vanity Fair France apologized for a photo in which a Palestine pin that Guy Pearce was wearing on his suit was edited out (via CNN). Pearce attended this year’s Cannes Film Festival in support of David Cronenberg’s competition entry “The Shrouds,” in which he stars opposite Vincent Cassel and Diane Kruger.

Eurovision 2024 broke global viewing figures despite protests over the inclusion of Israel at this year’s event.According to figures from the EBU, 163 million viewers tuned into the three live events including the Grand Final.The total reach of the contest also increased by one million people compared to 2023 and has grown by two million since 2022’s event in Turin.The viewing share for the Grand Final was also 46.7 per cent – the highest since 2006 and almost triple the broadcast channels average (17.6 per cent).Germany recorded the highest audience for the Grand Final with an average of 8.1million viewers watching on Das Erste and ONE. The United Kingdom also had the second highest audience with 7.7 million viewers tuning in for the Grand Final on BBC One despite viewing figures being down compared to last year’s event in Liverpool.Online, the Eurovision Song Contest’s digital platforms had another record year with 486million unique accounts reached on TikTok, during the event weeks, more than four times as many as that in 2023.Up to 42million unique viewers across 231 countries and territories also watched content on the official YouTube channel during the week of the live shows.Speaking about the record results across the board, Jean Philip De Tender, EBU Deputy Director General said: “These incredible numbers show the Eurovision Song Contest’s huge global impact – online, on TV and importantly musically.

By the time we meet them, Chatila and Reda already are down in the lower depths. Cousins from Palestine, they have spent much of their lives living as refugees on the run. Having made it as far as Athens, a kind of holding zone for people from the Middle East trying to slip into Europe, they are trying to scrape together money to get to Germany.

EXCLUSIVE: Dubai-based management and production company 75East has signed Palestinian director Mahdi Fleifel, whose narrative feature debut To A Land Unknown is playing in Directors’ Fortnight this year.

Jerry Seinfeld‘s Saturday night comedy show in Norfolk, Virginia was interrupted several times by at least one Pro-Palestinian protester.

Big Special have shared a statement explaining why they have decided to play The Great Escape amidst the boycott.The gothic Black Country duo – comprised of Joe Hicklin and Callum Moloney – took to their official Instagram account to explain why they will go ahead with performing at this year’s edition of the Brighton-based music festival.The 2024 event – which showcases new and rising artists – is due to take place across various music venues in Brighton from today (May 15) until Saturday (18).The Great Escape is sponsored by Barclays, which has been a source of controversy amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza because of the bank’s financial investment in companies that supply arms to Israel.“We will still be performing at The great escape this week and donating our fee to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, of which our label will also match the donation. Here is our statement,” wrote the duo in an Instagram post.A post shared by BIG SPECIAL (@bigspecial_)“There’s been a lot of chat about The Great Escape festival recently and their sponsorship from Barclays, who are helping fund arms sales to Israel, weapons being used to commit war crimes against the Palestinian people.“A lot of bands have boycotted the event in solidarity.

Picture Parlour are the latest band to announce that they are boycotting The Great Escape this year, joining over 100 other acts that have done so.The band took to their official X/Twitter account to share that they will no longer be performing at the Brighton-based festival. “Hey guys, we have made the decision to pull out of this year’s Great Escape festival,” they began.“We will be putting on a show next month and all ticket & merch sales will be donated to charities for Palestinian relief.

Lizzo has spoken out and shared her support for Palestine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and college protesters.The musician took to Instagram yesterday (May 13) to show her support in a video addressing the various conflicts taking place.“I just want to take a second and give a personal thank you to all of the activists who have been working tirelessly to help the liberation and the freedom of the people who have been genocided all over the world, specifically Palestine, Sudan and the Congo,” she said.“As someone who has worked closely with activists, I know the toll it can take on your mental and your physical and it can feel thankless so if you have not heard it today, thank you. Your work is not in vain.

Brian Eno, as well as members of Fontaines D.C., R.E.M, Bastille and more have read out letters from Palestinians suffering in Gaza as part of a ‘Voices For Gaza’ initiative.The clips have been shared on the Instagram page for Voices For Gaza, and sees famous faces from across the entertainment industry read letters from those in Palestine aloud, recalling the graphic details of the war.It aims to help raise funds for the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians and bring awareness to the ongoing crisis happening in the country.At time of writing, the conflict has led to the deaths of over 34,600 Palestinians. The attacks by Hamas on October 7 last year killed over 1,200 people.Among those who have taken part in the charity initiative is Brian Eno, who reads out a letter from a civilian in Gaza, written in February 2024.

Cannes Film Festival is bracing for a tumultuous 77th edition. As wars rage in Gaza and Ukraine, attendees and organizers anticipate protests, politically charged speeches and pins and flags that signal solidarity with Palestinian civilians, Israeli hostages and Ukrainians looking for more military assistance from the West as they try to fend off the Russian invasion. But if the festival has its way, there will be none of that.

Switzerland has won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest, which took place Saturday evening in Malmo, Sweden.

Bambie Thug has reportedly raised a complaint with Eurovision organisers due to Israeli broadcaster KAN’s commentary on their performance.An interview with broadcaster RTÉ has revealed that the Irish Eurovision entry raised the complaint with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) over remarks KAN made about them. On Tuesday, a commentator on KAN, warned TV viewers with children that Bambie Thug’s performance would be “the most scary” of the night.The commentator also said there would be “a lot of spells and black magic and dark clothing, Satanic symbols, and voodoo dolls, like we are at Cat’s Square in Jerusalem in the mid-90s” (Cat’s Square is a square well known for the city’s nightlife in the 90s and associated with goth culture).The KAN broadcaster further claimed there was “some controversy” in Ireland about Bambie’s song ‘Doomsday Blue’, referencing a petition to disqualify the song, and further alleged Thug liked to “speak negatively about Israel”.

Eurovision entry Bambie Thug was forced to remove their pro-Palestinian message from their costume.Originally, Bambie was supposed to wear body paint in Ogham script – an old Medieval alphabet – which had the words ‘ceasefire’ and ‘freedom for Palestine’ written in the script. The words were written in honour of their pro-Palestine stance.

Olly Alexander has responded to his odds of winning the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest.The singer revealed to BBC that he had taken a look at what the bookies were saying about his chances of winning the contest. “My odds for winning are at one per cent,” he told the outlet.

Eurovision final following days of protests in support of Gaza.Eden Golan, Israel’s entrant in the songwriting competition, qualified for the final following a public vote. Her win into the final came shortly after thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in the streets of Malmö, Sweden, where the contest is being held, to show their support for Gaza.The singer was booed during dress rehearsals and was booed again, this time with a mix of cheering as well, during the semi-finals on Thursday (May 9).

Eurovision Song Contest presenter Rylan Clark has been praised by fans for seemingly taking a stand amid the controversy surrounding Israel's participation in the singing competition.

Israel participated in the Eurovision Song Contest on Thursday evening, as thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in the host city of Malmo, Sweden, to protest against the country’s participation in the competition.