A man and a woman set fire to a copy of the Koran in the Swedish city of Malmö on the eve of the start of the Eurovision Song Contest. , DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
The action was broadcast live on Friday on the social network “TikTok”, and on the same day a Palestinian flag was also lit in the center of the city, not far from where two events related to “Eurovision” are planned. Swedish police have come under fire for allowing a Koran to be set on fire near a venue where mass events are planned.
Last year, similar actions in Denmark and Sweden caused angry demonstrations and protests, accompanied by violence, in countries with a predominantly Muslim population, DPA recalls. The Swedish authorities, however, stated that these were actions that were legal from the point of view of the right to free expression.
From today, numerous parties and concerts within the framework of “Eurovision” begin in Malmö, which will last a whole week. The culmination will be on May 11, when the grand finale of the music competition is held, with over 100,000 visitors expected to arrive in the southern Swedish city.
In addition to concerts in Malmö, protests are also planned on the occasion of the war in the Gaza Strip, DPA notes. Both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been organized.
Israel's National Security Council on Thursday advised Israeli citizens against traveling to Malmö.
Swedish artists have called for Israel to be excluded from this year's “Eurovision” because of the war in Gaza, but the organizers rejected such a measure.
Although Israel is not geographically in Europe, the country has long participated in the European Broadcasting Union and therefore Tel Aviv can send participants to the contest.
„Eurovision“ is the biggest music competition in the world. After last year's winner was the Swedish singer Loreen, now her homeland is hosting the event.