Still unclear whether Joost Klein will join final day of Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Finale will take place on Saturday evening, but it is not yet known whether the Dutch entry, Joost Klein, will take part. Police in Malmö, Sweden confirmed on Friday that an investigation into the 26-year-old "Europapa" singer was being conducted following an unspecified incident.
Swedish broadcaster SVT reported on Friday that it involved a physical confrontation between Klein and a photographer, while newspaper Aftonbladet reported the victim was a woman working with the Eurovision broadcast.
The police confirmed to news magazine SVT Nyheter on Friday evening that they were looking into the matter at the Malmö Arena, and the were taking statements from individuals. A crime had not yet been proven, "But we are on site and carrying out investigative measures to determine what has happened," said police spokesperson Rickard Lundqvist.
Due to the investigation, Klein was not allowed to participate in the daytime rehearsal on Friday, nor the nighttime rehearsal which is judged by juries from the participating countries. The Jury Show accounts for almost half of the points handed out. The jury on Friday night assessed a video of Klein's Semi-Final performance instead.
No comment was provided by Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, which has the Dutch rights to the contest. The media outlet said that it would await the outcome of the investigation by the European Broadcasting Union, which organized Eurovision.
The final event will feature 26 acts on Saturday evening, including Klein with his song Europapa. According to the bookmakers, the big favorites of the evening are Croatia, Israel and Switzerland.
Israeli singer Eden Golan received a lot of cheering, and some booing, during the semi-finals and rehearsals in the Malmö Arena. Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest has been controversial for months because of the war in Gaza. There have been protests in Malmö for days. A protest has also been announced for Saturday.
Reporting by ANP and NL Times
