Bambie Thug, the Irish Eurovision contestant, was allegedly forced to remove pro-Palestinian messaging from their costume, according to a deleted TikTok video. The outfit featured body paint in Ogham script with the words ‘ceasefire’ and ‘freedom for Palestine’ inscribed in honour of their stance. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) deemed the messaging a violation of contest rules prohibiting political activism, resulting in removal of the messaging. A makeup artist is shown removing the inscriptions in the TikTok video, with Bambie Thug later stating the incident was “fucked up.”
Thug later explained in an Instagram post that the EBU allowed “ceasefire” to remain but then removed the word an hour before their stage call time, informing Thug that they would not be able to perform if the message were not removed. Thug emphasised being “pro-justice and pro-peace” without being anti-Semitic, merely against “war, occupation, oppression and killing of innocent civilians and children.” They expressed disappointment with the EBU and stated that the world was “removed from its heart and its consciousness.”
Thug previously filed a complaint with Eurovision authorities over Israeli broadcaster KAN’s commentary on their performance, with the comments being “in breach of the rules” of the EBU. In other developments, Thug has implored organisers of Eurovision “to show some humanity” and to address the political issues plaguing the contest.
Thug recently spoke with NME about navigating this year’s competition, stating they needed to take a break from social media. They reiterated their initial stance regarding the messaging removal, challenging the broadcasters’ decision and emphasising their commitment to Palestine. Thug intends to continue using their voice to discuss such issues
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