Four Audience Members Removed During Israeli Eurovision Performance

The protester was later removed by security for continuing to disturb the audience. Three other people were also removed from the arena by security for disruptive behaviour. Austrian host broadcaster ORF and the EBU said an audience of 10,000 fans in the Wiener Stadthalle at the first semi-final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna greeted every artist enthusiastically.

ORF is broadcasting a clean audio feed live from audience microphones before and during every performer's song. Executive producer Michael Kroen had insisted shortly before the semi-final that the crowd volume would be the same for all the contestants. Fifteen countries competed in the first semi-final.

Bettan progressed to the grand final as one of the 10 qualifiers from the first semi-final. The Eurovision grand final is scheduled for Saturday. "I was free, I was me, I was authentic, I felt like my voice is in a good place...

And I enjoyed every moment," Bettan said afterwards. "There were moments when I felt that I'm just singing to my people back home," he added. Israel's participation in Eurovision 2026 caused Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia to pull out of the world's biggest live televised music event.

On Tuesday, a few dozen pro-Palestinian activists placed coffins in central Vienna in protest at Israel's participation. Further demonstrations are planned in the Austrian capital during the rest of Eurovision week. Eurovision is run by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Al-Monitor reported.

Besides unease at the conduct of Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, suspicions were also raised that the televoting system was being manipulated to boost Israel last year. Some participating broadcasters also raised concerns about media freedom, with Israel preventing their journalists from accessing Gaza.