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27th Jun 2018

People want Ireland to boycott the Eurovision next year

Olivia Hayes

A group of campaigners will be in Dublin City Centre today.

Musicians, politicians and campaigners will gather at the Ha’Penny Bridge this morning in order to protest Ireland taking part in the Eurovision next year.

The Eurovision will be held in Israel in 2019, however the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign want to take a stand against the competition taking place in Israel with the human rights abuses over there at the moment.

Image result for eurovision 2018

Charlie Mc Gettigan, who won the Eurovision in Ireland for Rock and Roll Kids in said: “I think the Eurovision down the years has had its fair share of protest songs.

“There are people who go into the Eurovision with songs that mean something – it’s not just all frivolity.”

He continued: “It’s very obvious what’s going on in Israel at the moment – it’s very public… We have a chance now to protest about it.

“I’m not saying we should not have the Eurovision… but we shouldn’t have it there.”

Netta Barzilai, otherwise known by the mononym Netta, won the competition this year and is an Israeli recording artist and looping artist. The winning song was called Toy.