Protests and Graffiti Shadow Eurovision 2025 in Basel

Eurovision 2025: Protests and Graffiti Mark Israeli Participation in Basel. The Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, was marked by controversy this week as protests and graffiti targeted Israel's participation. During a rehearsal for the contest, six people were ejected for displaying large Palestinian flags and using whistles to disrupt the performance of Israeli singer Yuval Raphael. Despite the incident, Raphael advanced to the final round. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. In a separate incident, graffiti reading "Free Palestine" and "Complicit in Genocide" was found on Eurovision promotional materials in the city. The city of Basel issued a statement saying, "We regret that some of the Eurovision branding in Basel has been defaced with political slogans. We fully respect the democratic right to freedom of expression. However, we reserve the right to remove defacements from our official communication materials without delay." The swift removal of the graffiti and the city's statement underscore the delicate balance between freedom of expression and maintaining a welcoming environment for the international event. The Eurovision Song Contest continues, but the incidents serve as a reminder of the complex political issues surrounding the event.