Attempts were made during the Eurovision Grand Final to remove Palestine flags from the Icelandic act Hatari.
Members of the broadcast team in the green room at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, attempted to remove Palestinian flags from the group. Hatari unfurled scarfs with the Palestinian flag on them, when the results of the public televote were revealed for their act.
Footage posted on social media from Hatari shows the attempts made to remove the flags from the group.
KAN CAME TO ICELAND TO GET THE FLAGS, BUT THEY COULDN’T STOP THEM. THANK YOU HATARI. ?? #EUROVISION pic.twitter.com/moT31HRwEe
— ?????????? ⚙️?? (@pappagalIi) 18 May 2019
The unfurling of the Palestinian flags was met by boos from the audience in the Expo Tel Aviv, in Israel. The group had already been informed earlier this week that they were on a last warning from the European Broadcasting Union.
Talking to the BBC, the EBU stated that:
“consequences of this action” will be discussed by the contest’s executive board
Aftonbladet reported that Hatari have reached the very limit of the European Broadcasting Union’s tolerance for political statements at the Eurovision Song Contest. According to group member Matthías Tryggvi, Jon Ola Sand the Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest has:
told us very clearly that we have reached the limit for EBU’s tolerance, if we have not already passed it, when it comes to politics
The band has created a whirlwind of coverage in both the Israeli and international press for comments that they have made regarding Israel. The group previously challenged the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu to a wrestling match on the beach. The group has been vocal in questioning whether Eurovision should be in Israel.
