Eurovision 2025 viewers accuse TV broadcast of ‘censoring’ audience ‘booing’ Israel’s Yuval Raphael
Tensions erupt over Israel’s Eurovision performance
- Viewers of the second Eurovision 2025 semi-final, screened on BBC One on Thursday night, have accused the broadcast of censoring audience boos during Israel's performance.
- Social media footage from the event suggests more substantial booing than heard on the broadcast, though the EBU – which provided the footage – denies any censorship and reports a positive atmosphere.
- Israel's participation in the contest was controversial due to the ongoing conflict in Palestine.
- Singer Yuval Raphael, a survivor of Hamas’s October 7 attacks, said before her performance that she “expected” boos but remained determined to sing.
- Protesters earlier disrupted Raphael's rehearsal with oversized flags and whistles, but were ejected from the arena.