Protests against Israel’s participation in Eurovision in Malmö, Sweden
Several protesters were arrested this Saturday in front of the Malmö Arena, headquarters of the Eurovision gala, during protests against the contest for allowing the presence of Israel. Among the activists arrested is environmental leader Greta Thunberg.
The protesters have gathered at the entrance to the Malmö Arena coinciding with the entrance of the spectators and have shouted at them with slogans such as “What a shame!”, reports the Swedish newspaper ‘Aftonbladet’.
The officers intervened and took several of the activists away, explained a police spokesman, Rickard Lundqvist, quoted by the Swedish newspaper.
The protesters gathered at the entrance to the Malmö Arena mainly come from the authorized gathering in a nearby park, but there are also spontaneous protesters, Lundqvist explained.
The Stop Israel platform, which brings together 66 organizations, has called for this Saturday’s mobilizations that began in Stortorget Square and ended in Moelleplatsen park to protest against the appearance of an Israeli representative in the competition.
According to the statement collected by the newspaper Dagens Nyheter, those responsible for the marches hope to gather thousands of people, adding to an additional protest called in the Dagvattenparken park, near the Malmö Arena event center, the scene of the final.
Police units from Norway and Denmark will also participate in the security deployment, working under the direction of the Swedish National Police with all the necessary powers to maintain public order.
Similarly, the Police will also cordon off parts of the city and use drones to observe possible conflict points during the concentrations.