Dutch Eurovision contestant Joost Klein has been disqualified forward of the competitors’s Grand Closing on Saturday night time.
The performer was despatched house after an allegation of intimidation was made to Swedish police by a feminine member of the manufacturing crew.
In an announcement, the organizers of the occasion mentioned: “Whereas the authorized course of takes its course, it could not be applicable for him to proceed within the Contest. We wish to make it clear that, opposite to some media experiences and social media hypothesis, this incident didn’t contain every other performer or delegation member.
“We preserve a zero-tolerance coverage in the direction of inappropriate habits at our occasion and are dedicated to offering a protected and safe working atmosphere for all workers on the Contest. In mild of this, Joost Klein’s habits in the direction of a workforce member is deemed in breach of Contest guidelines.”
Dutch broadcaster Avrtotros referred to as the disqualification “disproportionate” in an announcement on social media, including that it was “shocked” by the choice and would “come again to this later.”
There was hypothesis on social media surrounding Joost’s conduct in the direction of the Israeli contestant, 20-year-old Eden Golan, who has confronted criticism over her participation and was booed whereas rehearsing this week.
Golan has change into a lightning rod for wider criticism of Israel’s ongoing air strikes on Gaza, which, in accordance with the territory’s well being officers, has killed greater than 34,000 folks — most of them ladies and youngsters — in seven months. It started in October when Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an incursion on an Israeli music competition and killed over 1,200 folks.
The inclusion of Israel, a Eurovision winner in 1978, 1979, 1998 and 2018, on this yr’s contest has sparked livid debate throughout Europe, notably as Russia was barred from the occasion in 2022 after it invaded Ukraine.
The competitors is now dealing with mass boycott as pro-Palestinian demonstrators take to exterior the Eurovision venue in Malmö, Sweden, hosts of this yr’s competitors.
The Grand Closing of the 68th Eurovision Track Contest will now proceed with 25 taking part songs.
In Sweden, the Eurovision Grand Closing kicks off at 9 p.m. native time, which is 12 p.m. PT.