Israeli representative Yuval Raphael was left “shaken and upset” after pro-Palestinian protesters rushed towards her while she was on stage during the Eurovision Song Contest final.
A spokesman for Israeli broadcaster Kan said the protesters “were blocked by security officials, but Raphael was shaken and upset”.
“The delegation was needed to move location for 15 minutes,” he added.
“At the same time, a big anti-Israel protest takes place in the centre of Basel. The Israeli National Security Council issued a warning to Israeli civilians in the city to keep a low profile.”
Yuval Raphael performed in the Eurovision final on Saturday
GETTY
Footage of the incident has emerged on social media since the attempted stage invasion, and activists Youth Demand have claimed responsibility.
Self-proclaimed as a “youth-led nonviolent civil resistance group”, the activists claim to be “fighting for an end to genocide in Palestine and across the globe as a result of the climate crisis”.
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DANCING ON PALESTINIAN GRAVES: THREE YOUTH DEMAND SUPPORTERS DETAINED DURING ISRAEL’S PERFORMANCE AT THE EUROVISION FINALE
Youth Demand supporters David, Meaghan and Dolly were forcibly removed from the St Jakobshalle arena in Basel, Switzerland during Israel’s Yuval Raphael… pic.twitter.com/wMd7WcUpkn
— Youth Demand (@youth_demand) May 17, 2025
Soon after being detained, Basel police confirmed they had been let go.
A spokesman for Basel police said: “The organiser handed the two people over to the police. The police checked the two people and then released them.
Eurovision 2025: Israel’s entry Yuval Raphael has faced plenty of backlash to her participation GETTY
“It is now up to the organiser to decide whether to press charges.”
Among those detained were 22-year-old David Curry from Manchester and 27-year-old Meghan Leon from London, Youth Demand has revealed.
The pair released statements to the organisation following their detainment, with Curry saying: “After dropping the equivalent of six Hiroshomas’ worth of bombs on Gaza, Israel has been blockading all food, water, and key medical aid from entering Gaza for over three months now.
“Israel is being armed and aided by the UK and European governments, whilst they murder a child every 45 minutes. To top it off, here we are having a party with them on the biggest stage of them all!”
Leon added: “I cannot not sit back and watch Europe throw a party with the genocidal state of Israel in attendance, especially after Russia was rightfully kicked out for their aggression towards the Ukrainian people. Do Palestinians not deserve the same consideration?
“We need to end all arms sales to Israel. Across the continent and in the UK, all polls show this is what the people want, yet our leaders ignore us.”
Yuval Raphael was involved in the October 7 attack by Hamas in 2023 GETTY
Raphael was the fourth act to perform during Saturday’s grand finale.
For BBC viewers, the performance wasn’t short of controversy, with commentator Graham Norton alluding to the suggestion that the crowd noise may have been altered from the arena to the broadcast.
Norton also came under fire from some for seemingly failing to include a key part of Raphael’s backstory when introducing her to viewers.
