Irish Eurovision committee members say they were forced to remove pro-Palestinian messages from their costumes

Irish Eurovision interpreter Bambie the thug claimed they had been forced to delete messages of solidarity with Palestine of their stage attire as they approach their first performance at the competition.

On Tuesday night, Bambie were one of 15 bands to compete in the first of two semi-finals this year, where they became the first Irish band to qualify since 2018.

During Eurovision rehearsals, the singer-songwriter was seen carrying subtle messages of solidarity with Palestine, including “freedom for Palestine” and “ceasefire”, written in the ancient Celtic alphabet. Ogham – on their bodies.

However, they were not present when Bambie performed on Tuesday, which they said was due to the show being organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organiser of Eurovision.

Bambie told reporters at a press conference after the show that the slogans were “very important to me because I am for justice and for peace.”

“Unfortunately,” they added, “I had to edit these posts today, to only display ‘Crown The Witch’… in EBU order.”

An EBU representative told the Irish Mirror: “The writing seen on Bambie Thug’s body during dress rehearsals contravened the rules of the contest which aim to protect the apolitical nature of the event.

“After discussions with the Irish delegation, they agreed to modify the text for the live broadcast.”

HuffPost UK has contacted the EBU for further comment.

Last March, Bambie co-signed a statement – ​​alongside groups representing Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Switzerland, Denmark, Lithuania and Finland – in response to calls for them to withdraw from the competition in solidarity with Palestine, due to Israel’s involvement.

The group said: “In light of the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza, and in Israel, we do not feel comfortable remaining silent.

“It is important for us to express our solidarity with the oppressed and convey to them our sincere wish for peace, an immediate and lasting ceasefire and the safe return of all hostages. We are united against all forms of hatred, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

“We believe strongly in the unifying power of music, which allows people to transcend differences and foster meaningful conversations and connections. We believe it is our duty to create and maintain this space, with the firm hope that it will inspire greater compassion and empathy.”

Bambie told Metro more recently: “We could not remain silent on this issue. I said in substance what I wanted to say in my statement, but it depends on the EBU and even on my broadcaster.

“I get a lot of targeted abuse and I don’t think it’s entirely fair, actually, and I’m not the one making the decisions, but I’m extremely pro-Palestinian and it’s disappointing that the EBU has made this decision because I don’t think it’s right.”

The Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement had previously publicly urged Britain’s Olly Alexander to withdraw from the competition, something the former Years & Years star has also publicly stated on several occasions.

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