Belgium: VRT interrupts Semi Final broadcast with call for ceasefire in Israel!

Trade union VRT briefly interrupts broadcast semifinal Eurovision with call for ceasefire in Israel. The VRT union also supports journalists in the war zone:

“Moreover, the state of Israel is destroying the freedom of the press. That’s why we’re interrupting the image for a while.” Finally, the union calls for a ceasefire and “stop genocide”.

The socialist trade union ACOD-VRT defends the action.

“We have been watching the events in the Middle East with horror for months now. We are convinced that the State of Israel is committing a genocide and that is why it is outrageous that there is an Israeli entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. Doing nothing, just watching, is no longer an option.”

ACOD-VRT points the finger at the umbrella of public broadcasters that organizes the Eurovision Song Contest.

“Unfortunately, the EBU has made the Israeli entry possible and therefore we have decided to interrupt the broadcast. We hope to send a signal to the Israeli government to stop the fighting and killings, allow international observers and the press to enter and sit down for a negotiated solution.”

 VRT spokesperson Yasmine Van der Borght told the editors of hln.be:

“It is indeed a trade union action. We were informed it was going to happen. Trade unions have the right to take action and do not need permission to do so. I can only say that we have taken note of the action.”

Before the start of the broadcast, there was a small-scale protest at the premises of the VRT and the French-language broadcaster RTBF. About 70 activists denounced the broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest, because Israel is allowed to participate.

In the center of the Swedish city of Malmö, where the Eurovision Song Contest takes place, protests are still taking place against Israel‘s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, Swedish media report. So far, nine people have been arrested. Starting at 4 p.m., more than 10,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through Malmö. According to the police, this was largely uneventful.

N-VA MP Michael Freilich responds:

“We live in a free country and so everyone is free to protest. The fact that the unions disrupt a TV broadcast for millions of viewers is their choice. Anyone who claims to want to tackle injustice, but does not say a word about the terrorist acts of Hamas and the more than 100 hostages, undermines their own credibility. That’s a missed opportunity.”

Source: hln.be

Follow us on all social media, so you do not miss a moment of what is happening in Malmö:

On Facebook
On Twitter
On Instagram
On TikTok
On YouTube
On Spotify

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, in Malmö!