Activist groups and movements staged a protest Tuesday evening outside the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) headquarters, opposing Israel’s participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Organizers urged the public broadcaster to press the European Broadcasting Union to reconsider Israel’s entry, arguing that allowing it “normalizes genocide against Palestinians.”
CyBC Director General Thanasis Tsokos said the contest remains Europe’s leading cultural event and should be “protected and strengthened.” He added that political disputes “are resolved in other forums and institutions.”
A similar protest calling for Israel’s exclusion took place in Vienna, where this year’s Eurovision is being hosted.
Five countries — Ireland, Iceland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia — are boycotting the contest over the war in Gaza, according to CyBC radio.
