In Vienna, the first semi-final of Eurovision was briefly disrupted by shouts heard live, in a competition already marked by strong tensions surrounding Israeli participation.
Slogans heard during the performance
The first semi-final of Eurovision 2026, held Tuesday evening at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, was marred by an incident during the performance of Israeli representative Noam Bettan. While the singer was performing MichelleSeveral pro-Palestinian slogans were heard in the room, including “Stop the genocide et “Free Palestine”.
Four spectators evacuated by security
Security intervened after the disturbances. In total, four people were removed from the venue for disruptive behavior. One of the spectators reportedly continued shouting despite several requests to stop before being escorted out.
Israel qualified
The disruption didn't stop Noam Bettan from completing his performance. The 28-year-old Israeli contestant sang his song in Hebrew, French, and English. At the end of the evening, Israel qualified for the grand final scheduled for Saturday.
A high-stakes edition
This edition is particularly tense. Israel's participation has sparked strong protests due to the war in Gaza. Five countries—Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland—boycotted the contest this year to protest against the Israeli presence.
Despite the weather, the first semi-final continued as normal. Ten countries secured their place in the final: Israel, Finland, Greece, Serbia, Moldova, Croatia, Poland, Lithuania, Sweden and Belgium.
