America News Agency

Swedish singer Eric Saade performed in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest broadcast from Malmö on Tuesday evening wearing a Palestinian scarf tied around his wrist.

Saade had previously signed a petition against Israel's participation in Eurovision and criticized the way the organizers, the European Broadcasting Union EBU, ran the contest. He also criticized the refusal to allow Palestinian flags and symbols into the arena.

Fred Leone, who played the traditional Australian wind instrument didjeridu during Australia's participation, said in an X post that a symbol was drawn on his chest during the broadcast, writing:

That’s a watermelon on my chest. From the river to the sea! 200 million people watched and celebrated while innocent children, mothers and fathers died by the thousands in a GENOCIDE. I’m down with Jewish people. Israel is not Judaism. Israel doesn’t represent Jewish people. I am not down with fucking GENOCIDE. My great-grandfather survived three massacres. Our families across so-called Australia are the survivors of an ongoing genocide. This was a personal decision. No matter how detrimental to my career as an artist, what comes of this depends solely on those who hold the power. All my love to the children of Palestine. You can disagree. That’s fine, but history will condemn you as a cunt.