{
    "title": "Thousands protest in Vienna against Israel\u2019s participation in Eurovision Song Contest",
    "modified_at": "2026-05-16 16:58:01",
    "published_at": "2026-05-16 16:58:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/thousands-protest-in-vienna-against-israels-participation-in-eurovision-song-contest",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/HTGd",
    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "thousands-protest-in-vienna-against-israels-participation-in-eurovision-song-contest",
    "body": "<p><strong>Several thousand people have on Saturday braved the rain in Vienna to protest against Israel&rsquo;s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, a few hours before the start of the final of the contest in the Austrian capital. Under the slogan &ldquo;No stage for genocide&rdquo;, they marched through the city. </strong></p><p>The demonstrators had gathered at Christian-Broda-Platz in Vienna. They carried banners bearing pro-Palestinian messages and slogans denouncing the &ldquo;hypocrisy&rdquo; of the Eurovision Song Contest organisers. They believe that Israel, just like Russia, should be excluded from the contest.</p><p>&ldquo;We will not stand idly by today and watch Israel, after committing genocide, being given a platform at the Eurovision Song Contest. Not here in Vienna!&rdquo; one of the organisers told the crowd.</p><p>The demonstrators are staying away from the Wiener Stadthalle, where the final of the event is taking place on Saturday evening. The area is cordoned off. Only local residents and fans with tickets are allowed inside.</p><p>The Palestinian ambassador in Vienna, Salah Abdel Shafi, also voiced sharp criticism on Saturday. He says that Israel is guilty of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. The country&rsquo;s participation in the song contest is &ldquo;an insult to art, to culture, to music and to humanity&rdquo;, he said. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><sup>Demonstration against Israel&#039;s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna &copy; PHOTO Joe Klamar / AFP</sup></p><hr /><p><strong>Related news</strong></p><div id=\"bookmark-6cb9ba74-0c21-487a-8e30-f2026e251ce5\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-musicians-join-1000-artists-calling-for-eurovision-boycott\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2Fd08b9a21-aa6f-4dac-8325-c75acba39df8%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=6129ac712a0329dea6e884a79fff97e1)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-musicians-join-1000-artists-calling-for-eurovision-boycott\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"6cb9ba74-0c21-487a-8e30-f2026e251ce5\"\n           >\n                Belgian musicians join 1,000 artists calling for Eurovision boycott            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                More than 1,100 European artists have called for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest next month, in protest at the participation of Israel...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Fbelgian-musicians-join-1000-artists-calling-for-eurovision-boycott&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n<div id=\"bookmark-8dcbebf3-1b44-437a-9943-bb027bb9b89d\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/eurovision-vrt-to-broadcast-analysis-programme-debate-on-boycott-in-flemish-parliament\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2Fe635f56a-c334-4bc3-a6b2-4113dbc9be21%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=880749f857243637209853bb671ef406)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/eurovision-vrt-to-broadcast-analysis-programme-debate-on-boycott-in-flemish-parliament\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"8dcbebf3-1b44-437a-9943-bb027bb9b89d\"\n           >\n                Eurovision: VRT to broadcast analysis programme, debate on boycott in Flemish Parliament            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                The Flemish public broadcaster VRT will air an analysis programme ahead of the semi-finals and final of the Eurovision Song Contest. It is doing...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Feurovision-vrt-to-broadcast-analysis-programme-debate-on-boycott-in-flemish-parliament&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n",
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    "links": [
        {
            "description": "Belgian musicians join 1,000 artists calling for Eurovision boycott",
            "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-musicians-join-1000-artists-calling-for-eurovision-boycott"
        },
        {
            "description": "Eurovision: VRT to broadcast analysis programme, debate on boycott in Flemish Parliament",
            "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/eurovision-vrt-to-broadcast-analysis-programme-debate-on-boycott-in-flemish-parliament"
        }
    ],
    "author": {
        "first_name": "Flanders",
        "last_name": "News Service"
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}