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Eurovision 2024: Activists protest Israel’s Eurovision Participation outside Malmö City Hall

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“Long live Palestine!” and “Israel is a terror state” – these slogans resounded outside Malmö City Hall as vocal activists gathered to influence the city’s politicians during the municipal board meeting earlier today, Wednesday, coinciding with the municipal executive board’s consideration of a citizen’s proposal to halt Israel‘s participation in Eurovision.

Today, the board will take a position on citizens’ initiatives aimed at stopping Israel‘s participation in the competition in May. The City of Malmö‘s government has already made it clear on several occasions – it is not up to the municipality to stop countries from participating.

“But they can do something. In that case, the City of Malmö should make a statement that Israel is not welcome in Malmö.”

says Yomn Kadoura, spokesperson for the network Stop Israel to TT and adds:

“And that they send emails to the EBU and say that Israel is not welcome at Eurovision!”

The Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Malmö between 7 and 11 May, and the war between Israel and Hamas has stirred up strong feelings around Europe regarding the music competition. Sydsvenskan has previously reported that Tarabband, Crying Day Care Choir, and Nevergreens have canceled their concerts. Yesterday, Medina also announced their resignation.

The fact that the festivities are surrounded by growing criticism is a concern for the host city. Karin Karlsson, the main project manager for the City of Malmö‘s hosting, told TT last week.

“We want a Malmö where we come out of this in one piece.” 

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding this year’s Eurovision Song Contest to be held this May in Malmö, Sweden and any updates regarding its planning!

Source: Anna Karolina Eriksson/TT
Photo: Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se

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Eurovision 2024: City of Malmö working hard for a safe Eurovision!

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Malmö is currently evaluating the current situation caused by the ongoing Middle-Eastern conflict, hence, is discussing the ways of making the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest as safe as possible.

Israel‘s confirmed participation in Eurovision is stirring emotional protests around Europe. Intensive work is being done on security for the Eurovision Song Contest, to be held this May in Malmö, Sweden. Ulf Nilsson, the Head of Security and Preparedness at the city of Malmö., said on an interview with P4 Malmöhus:

“Many people are contributing to make this a reputation-proof event. We’re broadly working with many different scenarios. We’re working very closely with the police, SVT, Region Skåne, the Traffic Department.”

Last weekend, a Eurovision sign outside Malmö Live was vandalized and has now been protected with wax. The vandalism was discovered in the early hours of the morning. On the base of the sign, someone has written “Free Gaza” and smeared it with red paint. Even on the digital sign that says “United by music” and “We are one“, someone has thrown paint.

Several individuals have already applied for permission from the police to demonstrate during Eurovision in protest against Israel and their Eurovision Song Contest participation.

“We see that many have opinions about Israel’s participation and we understand that. We’re closely monitoring the situation. Of course, this will be taken into account in our work.”

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding this year’s Eurovision Song Contest to be held next May in Malmö, Sweden!

Source: Sveriges Radio/P4 Malmöhus/Sofie Dahlstedt

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Sweden: How will Malmö’s budget of 30 million Swedish crowns be used for Eurovision?

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A bit more than six months have passed since SVT revealed that Malmö will be the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, on July 7.

There will be televised semi-finals on 7 and 9 May. On Saturday 11 May, the final will be broadcast all over the world from Malmö Arena.

This week, Malmö‘s top politicians hammered out how Malmö‘s taxpayers’ money should be used around the giant event. The Chair of the Municipal Executive Board Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh said on the matter:

“A completely unanimous municipal executive board supported the distribution. Much of the work will be done out in the committees and therefore we set aside money there.”

Already last autumn, in last year’s budget, agreements were signed for around SEK 10 million – including with Malmö Arena, Malmömässan and Malmö Live.

The rest of the money that is supposed to be used for the music festival was invested by the municipal board this week:

  • The Technical Committee will receive SEK 6.6 million for the work on Eurovision Park and Eurovillage at Folkets Park.
  • The Culture Committee will receive SEK 1.8 million for its work on programmes and communication.
  • The Recreation Committee will receive SEK 3.3 million for the work with 600 unpaid volunteers and for city decoration, such as flags and banners that will fill Malmö.
  • The Municipal Executive Board is also allocating SEK 6.3 million to a wide range of general extra costs linked to the giant event.

Despite galloping inflation, this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will not be more expensive for Malmö‘s taxpayers than the contests ten years ago says the city of Malmö‘s project manager Karin Karlsson:

“More people are contributing content than they did ten years ago. We are trying to work with the business community in a much more comprehensive way than we did then.”

Already in a couple of weeks, on January 30, Farah Abadi and Pernilla Månsson Colt will lead the draw for places in the two semi-finals. At the same time, the world is under pressure from major international conflicts, such as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Shortly after the announcement that Malmö will be the host of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Swedish Security Service raised the terrorist threat level in Sweden. On 1 November, a total bag ban was introduced at major events. It is still unclear what additional and stricter security measures may be required ahead of the giant competition in Malmö. But politicians know that it could lead to new costs for the city. Karin comments:

“As far as security is concerned, we are waiting for information from the police. This will have consequences for the centre of Malmö as a whole. We are already working preventively by trying to choose places with perimeter protection and places we are used to working with.”

“In the first instance, public transport will be offered.” says the municipal board’s decision document. One can assume that this will be offered to the volunteers and press that are attending to work on the contest. But would that also mean that the artists will also travel by bus or train to the competition arena in Hyllie? Karin Karlsson responds:

“No, that’s where the line is drawn. We have a special responsibility to ensure that they arrive on time. The participants will travel in rented buses or electric cars. It’s Malmö’s advantage that we have such good public transport. It’s also a way to save money. We want the whole event to be used by public transport.”

Source: Sydsvenskan
Photo: Martin Meissner

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Sweden: Security planning for Eurovision 2024 in Malmö intensified!

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As you’ve read on one of our articles last week, based on the increased terrorist threat level, the Swedish Police Authority had decided to ban bags at major events in Sweden.

Consequently, Malmö is currently evaluating the current situation caused by the ongoing Middle-East conflict and is discussing the ways of making the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest as safe as possible.

Speaking to Sveriges Radio, Nils Norling, spokesperson for the police of Malmö mentioned:

“If we look at Malmö during the last month, we have seen a certain increase in hate crime. Daily we see manifestations, mostly pro-Palestinian. So we cannot exclude that people will try and carry out various manifestations.”

Up until now, the police of Malmö hasn’t identified any direct threats to the contest, but it goes without saying that the intelligence work will intensify as we are approaching to the contest.

Sveriges Radio also interviewed Karin Karlsson, who is the lead for organising the events of Malmö municipality. Karin reflected on one manifestation against the Israeli participation that was carried out back in 2013 and added:

“I think that we need to act preventively and keep in mind that more could happen than in 2013, and then follow the things the police tells us to do.”

Apart from the Eurovision Song Contest, the city of Malmö will host several events in public or outdoor spaces. But does this pose a threat according to Karlsson?

“We try to look at places where we are used to having good security and controls, so the places we want to use should feel safe.“

More safety specifications regarding the Eurovision Song Contest will be released within the following months.

The 68th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Malmö, Sweden in 7, 9 and 11th of May 2024, after the second win of Loreen in Liverpool, with her song “Tattoo”:

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the next year’s Eurovision Song Contest!

Source: Sveriges Radio

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