Protesters call on Malta to withdraw from Eurovision over Israel’s participation

Activists and members of the public marched through Valletta on Saturday calling on the government to suspend Malta’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest while Israel remains in the competition.

The protest, organised under the banner “Malta: No Music for Genocide”, started outside Parliament and ended in front of the Culture Ministry. Among those attending was former president Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, alongside activists, artists and civil society groups.

Demonstrators chanted “No music for genocide” and “Boycott Eurovision”, arguing that cultural events cannot be treated as politically neutral in the context of the war in Gaza.

Addressing the crowd, activist Amy Marie Abela from Moviment Graffitti said music had always been deeply intertwined with social and political realities.

“For us it never even crossed our minds to separate politics from art,” she said. “Artistic expression is bound to the conditions of life and of the society to which a person belongs.”

Amy Marie Abela said politics and art cannot be separated (Photo: Moviment Graffitti)

Abela described music as a force that unites people and draws out shared human emotions, but argued that this same power means artists have a responsibility to take a stand. She quoted from “If I Must Die”, a poem by Palestinian writer Refaat Alareer, who was killed in Gaza, saying his work symbolised the resilience of Palestinian artists and the human cost of the conflict.

“The reality is that Israel is systematically destroying the Palestinian people,” Abela said. “Maltese artists deserve better than a context that is being stained with Palestinian blood.”

Andre Callus also spoke at the protest. He said silence would amount to complicity, while representatives from other groups said Eurovision, founded to promote unity and peace, was now being used to “normalise” violations of international law.

Other speakers included Joanna Jebaili from The Lebanese Advocates, Maria Galea from the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA), David Zammit from Ġustizzja għall-Palestina and artist Angele Galea.

The protest comes amid wider controversy surrounding this year’s edition of the contest, which will be held in Vienna in May. According to organisers, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain have opted not to participate in the 2026 edition in protest at Israel’s inclusion.

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici has said Malta should not withdraw, instead encouraging what he described as a culture of dialogue.