Stage Incident Marred Eurovision Performance by Yuval Raphael
During the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest held on Saturday night, Israeli representative Yuval Raphael experienced an attempted stage invasion while delivering her performance. This incident added to the ongoing controversy surrounding the competition, particularly due to Raphael’s participation in light of past events.
Details of the Stage Invasion
According to a confirmation from Swiss broadcaster SSR, the incident occurred at the St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel, Switzerland. A man and woman attempted to breach the stage barriers, resulting in one of them throwing paint at a crew member. Fortunately, the crew member sustained no injury, and the assailants were swiftly removed from the venue and taken into police custody.
“At the end of the Israeli performance, a man and a woman tried to get over a barrier onto the stage. They were stopped. One of the two agitators threw paint and a crew member was hit. The crew member is fine and nobody was injured. The man and the woman were taken out of the venue and handed over to the police,” the Swiss broadcaster said in a statement.
Protests and Controversy Surrounding the Competition
For the second consecutive year, Eurovision has been clouded by protests connected to the European Broadcasting Union’s decision to include a contestant from Israel. This year’s outcry included calls for Raphael’s exclusion, alongside pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrations taking place outside the venue.
Adding a poignant layer to the event, Raphael is a survivor of the tragic Nova festival massacre that occurred on October 7, 2023. During her performance, she captivated the audience with a solo act that involved navigating around a grand chandelier-like staircase.
Media Reactions and Audience Responses
The coverage of Raphael’s performance on BBC One by presenter Graham Norton stirred engagement across social media platforms. At the end of her act, he remarked, “I’m not sure what you can hear at home. Slightly mixed reception here in the hall,” reflecting the divided opinions among the live audience.
Notably, the disruption caused by the stage invasion did not reach the viewers at home, as the television broadcast maintained a focus on the performance, which concluded to applause from the audience present at the venue.
Previous Disruption During Rehearsals
This was not the first incident of unrest related to Raphael’s participation. A previous dress rehearsal prior to the second semi-final faced a similar disruption when six individuals entered the stage area displaying flags and using whistles. According to the host broadcaster SRG, security personnel promptly identified and escorted the individuals out of the auditorium.