https://metro.co.uk/2019/05/19/euro...-protest-consequences-will-discussed-9598227/
The European Broadcasting Union has hinted at punishment for the Icelandic delegation following Hatari’s protest at the Eurovision Song Contest final.
Tensions have been high this year at Eurovision due to the host country Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, with calls for artists and viewers to boycott the contest. And during the voting,
Iceland’s act Hatari showed their support for Palestine by holding up flags and banners reading ‘Palestine’ when the camera cut to them in the green room.
The EBU, which runs Eurovision, said of the protest: ‘In the live broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final, Hatari, the Icelandic act, briefly displayed small Palestinian banners whilst sat in the Green Room. The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political event and this directly contradicts the contest’s rules. ‘The banners were quickly removed and the consequences of this action will be discussed by the Reference Group (the contest’s executive board) after the contest.’ The rulebook states that artists may not promote any political cause at Eurovision, with disqualification being threatened.
Rule 2.6 reads: ‘The ESC is a non-political event. All Participating Broadcasters, including the Host Broadcaster, shall ensure that all necessary steps are undertaken within in their respective Delegations and teams in order to make sure that the ESC shall in no case be politicised and/or instrumentalised. All Participating Broadcasters, including the Host Broadcaster, shall ensure that no organisation, institution, political cause or other cause, company, brand, product or service shall be promoted, featured or mentioned directly or indirectly during the Event.
‘No messages promoting any organisation, institution, political cause or other, company, brand, products or services shall be allowed in the Shows and within any official ESC premises and/or event (i.e. at the venue, during the Opening Ceremony, the Eurovision village, the Press Centre, the Press Conferences, etc.). A breach of this rule may result in disqualification. The lyrics and/or performance of the songs shall not bring the Shows, the ESC as such or the EBU into disrepute. No lyrics, speeches, gestures of a political, commercial or similar nature shall be permitted during the ESC. No swearing or other unacceptable language shall be allowed in the lyrics or in the performances of the songs.’
Hatari, who came 10th in the final with their song Hatrio mun sigra (Hate will prevail), did not leave their protest with that moment, as they have since added a Palestinian flag to their Instagram account.
Hatari drummer Einar Hrafn Stefánsson also shared a clip to his Instagram, showing two staff members demanding the flags from the group.
One man wearing a Eurovision press pass is heard saying: ‘Give me the flag of Palestine’, while a woman pointed out they had another one hidden.
A Palestinian flag featured elsewhere in the broadcast, as one of Madonna’s backing dancers wore a flag on the back of their jacket.
They walked off with their arm around another dancer, who wore an Israeli flag on their back.
The European Broadcasting Union confirmed this part of the performance had not been vetted saying: ‘In the live broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest grand final, two of Madonna’s dancers briefly displayed the Israeli and Palestinian flags on the back of their outfits.
‘This element of the performance was not part of rehearsals which had been cleared with the EBU and host broadcaster KAN. ‘The Eurovision Song Contest is not a political event and Madonna had been made aware of this.’
