A man has been arrested and charged for threatening behaviour and verbal abuse at employees at CyBC due to the “satanic” links of Cyprus’s Eurovision 2021 entry “El Diablo”.
Local police have announced an unnamed man has been arrested and charged for a number of offences, including threatening behaviour, verbal abuse and causing a disturbance. The defendant was unhappy with the public broadcaster of Cyprus (CyBC) entry for this year Eurovision Song Contest.
This year’s entry “El Diablo” performed by Elena Tsagrinou has been criticised by some including the defendant for “satanic” connotations. The defendant called the song “El Diablo” an “affront to Christianity” due to the songs links to the devil.
The man arrested is not the only one to object to this year Eurovision entry from Cyprus. CyBC is now having to defend their entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, after a number of religious groups called for the song to be withdrawn from the competition. A group called “Cypriot Christians” has started a petition to have “El Diablo” withdrawn and has inundated the Cypriot broadcaster with telephone complaints. With some callers even threatening to burn down the Cypriot broadcasters building.
The local police is investigating and has put extra patrols round the building to prevent any incidents. Orthodox Christians make up close to 90% population of Cyprus. In the past, no major objections have been raised against CyBC’s choices for Eurovision. Police are investigating the calls that
The broadcaster has released a statement defending Elena’s song and explaining the message of the song:
It is the eternal struggle between evil and good. Through this troubled relationship with Stockholm syndromes and despite the paranoia he experiences, in the end the truth always shines, where she seeks help to get out and shake the bonds on a path to freedom.
Especially nowadays, we hope that the song and its correct interpretation will be an inspiration not only for women but for anyone who experiences similar situations.
Who is Elena Tsagrinou?
Elena Tsagrinou was born in Athens in 1994. Throughout the years, she has performed on the biggest music shows in Greece and Cyprus at a considerable number of concerts. She has collaborated with many other famous Greek artists such as Konstantinos Argyros and MELISSES.
Elena Tsagrinou was the very first act that was not planned to participate at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest being confirmed, on November 25.
Image Source: Oneman.gr / Frantzeska Giaitzoglou – Watkinson | Source: sky
Cyprus debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981. Their best result was in 2018, with Eleni Foureira and performance of the song “Fuego” won second place with 436 points. Before then, their best results in the contest came in the form of three fifth place finishes. In 2004, Lisa Andreas performed “Stronger Every Minute” in Istanbul, Turkey. She finished 5th in the final scoring 170 points, which included 12 points from Greece. They also placed fifth in 1997 with Hara & Andreas Constantinou and their song “Mana mou”, and in 1982 with Anna Vissi’s “Mono i agapi.” Cyprus withdrew from the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014 due to financial difficulties but returned again in 2015.
