From the Liveblog of
Thursday, May 9, 2024
Under heavy police presence, Malmo’s Jews show support for Israel ahead of Eurovision semifinal
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MALMO — Overshadowed by the much larger rally against Israel, a group of mostly local Jews gather in Malmö to show support for Israel ahead of the second Eurovision semifinal. In a small square in the city center, surrounded entirely by heavily armed police, about 150 people listen to the song “Hurricane” by Eden Golan — which she will perform tonight — while waving Swedish and Israeli flags.
Before the event began, smaller groups of pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to break through the police lines, but were successfully held back by Swedish police, who were reinforced by colleagues from Denmark. Some pro-Israel protesters who had planned to attend were not able to do so due to the security presence, which caused some irritation.
If Golan advances tonight to the grand final, a second mass demonstration against Israel is planned for Saturday evening in the southern Swedish city.
The Times of Israel Community.