The European Commission has expressed anger over a ban on EU flags at the Eurovision Song Contest and demands explanations.
The allegations, made by several spectators who attended the Grand Final on Saturday and were told off for carrying the flags, quickly turned viral and prompted a stern rebuke from Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas.
“Eurovision is first and foremost a celebration of European spirit, of our European diversity and talent. The EU flag is a symbol of this,” Schinas said on X on Saturday evening.
“Less than a month to the European elections, there should be no obstacles, big or small, to celebrating what unites all Europeans.”
That was Eric Saade with the scarf on the arm, but it was my first idea aswell. Or was there a separate incident with Joost Klein that i wasnt able to find?
I think you are right I might be confused. Joost Klein did speak up during a panel during Eurovision to make the israeli singer answer a question they were trying to dodge
He also covered himself in the Dutch flag to be unrecognizable when they sat him next to israel
I didn’t follow Eurovision too closely so I cannot confirm whether Klein spoke up against israel before Eurovision. For now I’ll correct my comment.
The key point is that israel violated multiple rules themselves and harassed many contestants including the Irish one. So the decision to completely axe Joost for what appears to be a very minor infraction can almost not be explained by anything else that external motivations.