Protesters in Basel burn Israeli and American flags during illegal Eurovision demonstration

Anti-Israel protesters were seen burning and stomping on Israeli and American flags in the city centre of Basel, Switzerland just an hour ahead of the Eurovision Grand Final on Saturday.

The demonstration, organised by local Palestine activist groups Basel 4 Palestine and ESCalate for Palestine, was attended by hundreds of Palestinian flag-bearing protesters, many of whom held signs accusing the Eurovision broadcaster EBU of being complicit in Israel’s “genocide” and calling for a boycott of the song contest.

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According to German-language digital news outlet Nau.ch, the police announced at the scene that the protest was taking place illegally and that demonstrators would be prosecuted if they disobeyed police instructions. 

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Despite police cautioning the group to stay put in Barfüsserplatz, where the protest began, protesters proceeded down the busy city streets shouting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” and blocking trams from transporting visitors to the Eurovision arena at St. Jakobshalle. There were also several altercations between protesters and bystanders holding Israeli flags.

Pro-Palestine protesters last demonstrated on Thursday when Israeli delegate Yuval Raphael performed in the second Eurovision semi-final, but the number of attendees at tonight’s protest far exceeded the size of the group earlier this week.