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EPAEurovision singer Joost Klein has expressed his frustration and reduction after Swedish police dropped their investigation right into a backstage incident that led to his disqualification from the competition.
The singer was eliminated simply hours earlier than the grand last in May, after an alleged altercation with a camerawoman.
But Swedish prosecutors stated on Monday that they may not show {that a} gesture Klein had made in the course of the incident “was capable of causing serious fear,” or that Klein had meant it to scare her.
Writing on Instagram, the singer welcomed the choice. “There is no case against me,” he stated, “because there never was a case.”
However, he expressed disappointment that it had taken three months for the investigation to be closed.
“The last couple of months were terrible,” he stated.
“Even though I love to perform anywhere around the world, something didn’t feel right. Why did we have to wait so long for an answer?”
He additionally instructed his disqualification had been motivated by business issues, though it’s unclear what these might need been.
“Companies just want to protect their money and they tried to use me as a shield,” he wrote. “A village against the city.”
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This 12 months’s Eurovision Song Contest was unusually tense, marked by months of protests round Israel’s participation.
Several musicians got here below stress to withdraw, whereas others, together with Eric Saade and Bambie Thug, smuggled pro-Palestinian messages into their performances.
Some contestants complained of a “tense” and “horrible” environment backstage, whereas pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli teams held a number of marches via the host metropolis of Malmö, Sweden.
The day earlier than the grand last, Klein didn’t seem at a costume rehearsal to carry out his observe, Europapa – which was one of many favourites to win.
Shortly afterward, the European Broadcasting Union, which organises the competition, stated in a press release it was investigating Klein due to “an incident” involving a member of the present’s manufacturing crew.
The subsequent day, it was revealed that Swedish police had acquired an allegation of intimidation by a feminine digital camera operator.
The EBU subsequently eliminated Klein from the competition, saying it will not have been applicable for him to participate whereas a authorized course of was underway.
Dutch broadcaster Avrotros, which is answerable for arranging the nation’s Eurovision entry, known as the transfer “disproportionate”.
It stated that Klein had been filmed instantly after coming off stage “against clearly made agreements” and towards his repeated indications that he didn’t need to be on digital camera.
On Monday, the broadcaster stated that the Swedish prosecutor’s resolution to drop the case validated their preliminary response.
“From the beginning, we have said that this disqualification was unnecessary and disproportionate and so it now appears to be.
“We are nonetheless deeply upset that the Europa journey of Joost Klein and of all the Netherlands was brutally ended on this method.
“The next step is to have a meeting with the EBU management about this matter at very short notice.”
However, the EBU defended its resolution to expel Klein from the competition.
Jean Philip De Tender, the organisation’s deputy director normal, stated the police investigation was about “whether or not a legal act was dedicated and never whether or not Mr Klein behaved inappropriately”.
“Like all accountable employers, we don’t tolerate inappropriate behaviour and can all the time reply to any office points which can be reported to us,” he added.
“This new growth due to this fact doesn’t have any influence on our resolution which we stand by utterly.”
Despite that, Klein updated his Instagram biography on Monday to read: “Eurovision 2025”.
