Eurovision organizers admonished Eric Saade and Bambie Thug for wearing pro-Palestinian symbols because it's a 'non-political' event.
Eric Saade performs his song"Popular" as the opening act during the first semi-final of the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmo Arena, in Malmo, Sweden, on May 7, 2024.wo singers who performed as part of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden on Tuesday were reprimanded by event organizers for wearing pro-Palestinian symbols.
The European Broadcasting Union , which organizes the international songwriting competition, admonished both performers for donningAn EBU spokesperson tells TIME that Saade didn’t wear a kaffiyeh during his rehearsals, but “put it on without anyone noticing before the live broadcast.” Saade, whose father is of Palestinian origin, is not a contestant this year, but is a former Swedish Eurovision contestant who performed during the show’s opening act Tuesday. “This was just my way of showing a part of my origin,” Saade said in a statement posted to hisstory on Wednesday. “I got that keffiyeh from my dad when I was a little boy, to never forget where the family comes from. Back then, I didn’t know it would one day be called a ‘political symbol by EBU.
“It was very important for me because I am pro-justice and pro-peace,” they said during a press conference after the semi-final, as reported by The Irishthat organizers saw the writing on Bambie Thug’s body during dress rehearsals and that it “contravened Contest rules that are designed to protect the non-political nature of the event.” Organizers discussed it with Bambie Thug, who then agreed to change the text for the live performance, the spokesperson added.
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