Australian act also paid tribute to Palestinians during Eurovision Song Contest | Eurovision Song Contest

“That’s a watermelon on my chest,” the musician writes with a photo of the performance on Instagram. The fruit has been used in recent months as a symbol of the Palestinian struggle.

“200 million people watched and celebrated as innocent children, mothers and fathers died by the thousands in a genocide,” the musician wrote. “My great-grandfather survived three massacres. Our families in so-called Australia are the survivors of an ongoing genocide.”

Leone insists that the rest of the act had nothing to do with his statement. “This was a personal decision.”

The Australian act had to compete against fourteen other countries in the first semi-final on Tuesday. Electric Fields failed to secure a spot in the final.

The Australian musician was not the only one who made a political statement against the Eurovision Song Contest rules on Tuesday. Eric Saade, who provided the opening act on behalf of Sweden in the first semi-final, wore a Palestinian scarf around his wrist.

Bambie Thug, Ireland’s act, also tried to make a statement. The floor was spoken during rehearsals ceasefire (ceasefire) in the old Irish alphabet ogam on the artist’s face. On their leg stood “free Palestine“, in the same script. But prior to the television broadcast, the artist was instructed to change the lyrics.

This year the Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Malmö, Sweden. The second semi-final, in which Joost Klein participates on behalf of the Netherlands, is Thursday. The final takes place on Saturday.