Protest Held Outside TVM Studios Calling for Malta to Quit Eurovision

A group of artists, activists and civil society organisations gathered earlier today outside the Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) headquarters to call on Malta’s national broadcaster to withdraw from this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

During a press conference held in front of the TVM studios, organisers argued that Malta’s participation in Eurovision, given Israel’s inclusion in the contest, risks normalising serious human rights violations linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The protest was organised by Movement Graffiti in collaboration with members of Malta’s arts and cultural community.

Speakers at the event urged PBS, as the body responsible for representing Malta at Eurovision, to take a principled stance by withdrawing from the competition. They maintained that participating under the current circumstances sends the wrong message and undermines commitments to human rights and justice.

The group also announced a national demonstration titled “Malta: No Music for Genocide”, which is set to take place on Saturday, 21 February, at 3pm in front of Parliament. Members of the public were encouraged to attend and show solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Organisers criticised the Eurovision Song Contest for proceeding as normal despite the high civilian death toll in Gaza, arguing that celebrating a major entertainment event in this context risks trivialising human suffering. They further noted that other European countries have publicly questioned participation, insisting that Malta has a choice on how it positions itself internationally.

#MaltaDaily