Her song contest this year Eurovision increasingly overshadowed by protests about Israel’s participation during its ongoing war in Gaza. But controversy often follows the international singing competition. So let’s look at some crazy things that have happened in this competition.

  • SuRie is interrupted by an intruder on stage

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In 2018 a man stormed the stage in Lisbon and shouted: “UK media Nazis, we demand freedom.” It was later reported that the man had previously attempted to disrupt the National Television Awards and The Voice broadcasts. SuRie was offered the chance to perform the song again at the end of the finale, but declined.

  • What happened to Ukraine’s participation in the competition?

Eurovision 2024

In 2019, Ukraine withdrew from the competition after the artist chosen to represent it, Maruv, refused to sign an agreement that required her not to tour Russia as part of accepting the nomination. With relations strained between the two countries following Russia’s unilateral annexation of Crimea in 2014, two potential replacements also refused the deal and Ukraine withdrew.

Read about: Eurovision 2024: “You were great” for Marina Satti, but everything is a matter of politics – The “cries” of Palestine are heard…

  • Ukraine’s ‘Dancing Lasha Tumbai’ song causes a stir, 2007

Many remember it “ziben ziben alulu”but few know the name of its performer at Eurovision 2007. It is about Verka Serdiutskaknown as Andrii Mykhailovych Dalinko, an eccentric Ukrainian who was chosen to represent his country in Europe’s top singing competition, sparking a firestorm of reaction from Ukrainian nationalists and intellectuals, as well as sparking a near-diplomatic episode.

The song “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” caused backlash for the way his lyrics “Lasha Tumbai” they sounded like “Russia goodbye” when sung in the chorus.

  • “Door” to Georgia due to reference to Vladimir Putin, 2009

Eurovision organizers refused to accept Georgia’s entry in 2009 when the country tried to send a song titled “I Don’t Wanna Put In” of Stephane and 3G. It was considered to be a derogatory reference to the president of Russia.

  • Israel renounces its song, 2000

Israel’s participation in Eurovision in 2000, with the “Same’ach” by Ping-Pongwas disowned by the Israel Broadcasting Authority after the band displayed Syrian flags during their performance of the song, which was about an Israeli woman from a kibbutz who had a relationship with a man from Damascus.

  • Portugal’s song was used to provoke a military coup, 1974

Nineteen days after participating in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton, Portugal’s entry, with “E Depois Do Adeus” by Paulo de Carvalho, was used to alert rebel captains and soldiers to launch the military coup known as “Revolution of the Carnations”. The move that overthrew the Portuguese junta went down in history as the “Carnation Revolution,” as the thousands of Portuguese who poured into the streets urged government soldiers to join the rebels and put the barrels of their weapons from a red carnation as a sign of peace and reconciliation.

  • Rumors of vote rigging by General Franco, 1968

In 1968, Cliff Richard came second behind the Spanish entry, “La La La La”, a result that sparked rumors of vote rigging by General Franco. In 2008, after a Spanish documentary showed more evidence of the pressure at the highest level, Richard said that 40 years later it would still be nice if someone contacted him and said: “Cliff, you finally won the damn thing.”