"Head off" gesture for Israel singer? Palestine demonstrator arrested

By Cindy Riechau and Christiane Oelrich

Basel (Switzerland) - A threatening gesture towards the Israeli candidate at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel has been reported by the Israeli broadcaster Kan. The Swiss police confirmed receipt of a complaint.

A protester sits on the ground with a Palestinian flag at an ESC event in Basel, showing his middle fingers.
A protester sits on the ground with a Palestinian flag at an ESC event in Basel, showing his middle fingers.  © Til Buergy/KEYSTONE/dpa

The Kan channel published a video in which a man with a Palestinian flag can be seen running his hand horizontally across his neck. The gesture roughly means "cut throat".

It is not clear to whom the gesture was directed. Several Palestinian flags could be seen on the channel's footage. They are not banned in Switzerland.

Israeli media report that the threatening gesture was aimed at Israeli ESC candidate Yuval Raphael (24) and her delegation. The 24-year-old is a survivor of the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023 in the Israeli border area. She was at the Nova music festival, where terrorists from the Gaza Strip carried out a massacre.

According to the Swiss police, the opening ceremony went largely smoothly. 150 people were stopped. "The police were able (...) to prevent the official event from being disrupted", they said.

The police did not say what the people who were stopped were planning to do.

The man was provisionally arrested.
The man was provisionally arrested.  © Til Buergy/KEYSTONE/dpa

Demonstrator is also said to have spat in the direction of the Israeli delegation

The gesture is said to have been intended for Israel's ESC candidate Yuval Raphael (24).
The gesture is said to have been intended for Israel's ESC candidate Yuval Raphael (24).  © Peter Schneider/KEYSTONE/dpa

The incident occurred on the sidelines of a colorful parade welcoming the participants in Basel.

According to Israeli reports, the demonstrator also spat in the direction of the Israeli delegation.

According to Kan, he also contacted the ESC organizer EBU to ask for help in identifying the demonstrator.

Because more than 52,000 people have died in the Israeli war against terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, there has been criticism of Israel's participation in the ESC.

Last year's winner Nemo (25) and 70 former ESC participants spoke out in favor of Israel's exclusion. There had already been demonstrations about the country's participation in 2024.