During the recent Eurovision Song Contest final, a man from Manchester got himself into a bit of trouble when he was arrested for causing a commotion while Israeli singer Yuval Raphael was performing on stage. The incident left the singer feeling ‘shaken and upset’, according to her team. The whole thing went down as Raphael belted out her song “New Day Will Rise” to a mixed reaction from the audience in Basel, Switzerland on a Saturday night.
The pro-Palestinian protesters, identified as David Curry from Manchester and Meaghan Leon from London, were said to have rushed towards the stage during Raphael’s performance. They were swiftly taken out of the venue and handed over to the police, who later released them. The incident caused a bit of a stir, with security officials having to step in to ensure everyone’s safety. Despite the chaos, Israel managed to secure second place in the competition, earning 357 points and even receiving 12 points from the UK in the public vote.
The whole ordeal didn’t end with just a couple of protesters trying to disrupt the show. Earlier on, there were pro-Palestinian protests near a free concert in Basel, aimed at demonstrating against Israel’s participation in the event. Meanwhile, a small group waving Israeli flags also made their presence known. The tension between the two groups escalated, leading to a significant police presence and even the use of tear gas. It was quite the eventful night, with plenty of drama unfolding both on and off the stage.
