Protest action on VRT during the Eurovision Song Contest goes around the world: “Israel hatred on Belgian TV”

TVSeveral foreign news media report on the VRT union’s call for a ceasefire during the broadcast of the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest. A pancarte read at the start and end: “We condemn the violations of human rights by the State of Israel.” That action is now going around the world, ‘Bild’ even speaks of a ‘message of hate against Israel’.

LOOK. Protest against Israel at Eurovision, but candidate continues

‘Israel hatred on Belgian TV!’ ‘Bild’ begins their article about the message from the socialist trade union VRT following the Israeli participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. It is one of the many news articles circulating about the action in the foreign press, after the pancarte was also widely shared on social media. The Turkish newspaper ‘Türkiye’, the Irish newspaper ‘Irish Mirror’, the Spanish newspaper ‘El Diario’ and the Arabic newspaper ‘Middle East Eye’, among others, report on it. “Belgian TV channel interrupts broadcast with pro-Palestinian message,” is also the headline of ‘Indy 100’, part of ‘The Independent’ and “Belgian TV channel VRT protests against Israel during broadcast,” writes the Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansi.

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In the German newspaper ‘Bild’. © BILD

An article on the website of the Spanish newspaper ‘El Diario’ © El Diario

The trade union ACOD-VRT already defended the action to HLN, a response that was also reported by the international press. “We have been watching the events in the Middle East with horror for months now. We are convinced that the State of Israel is carrying out a genocide and that is why it is scandalous that there is an Israeli entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. Doing nothing, just watching, is no longer an option.”

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Indy100, part of 'The Independent', also writes about the incident. — Indy100, part of ‘The Independent’, also writes about the incident. © Indy100

'Irish Mirror' also focuses on the action. — ‘Irish Mirror’ also focuses on the action. © Irish Mirror

A spokesperson for VRT already announced that the public broadcaster was aware of the action. “Trade unions have the right to take action and do not need permission to do so,” it said. The VRT union does not rule out a new action that condemns the violence in Gaza.

In the center of the Swedish city of Malmö, where the Eurovision Song Contest takes place, there are still protests against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, Swedish media report. Nine people have been arrested so far.