ACTOR STEPHEN REA has addressed pro-Palestine protesters outside RTÉ this evening where a demonstration was being held to call on the broadcaster to boycott the Eurovision song contest.

Members of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) held a mini-concert and made speeches calling for Ireland to boycott this year’s music competition over the organiser EBU’s decision not to remove Israel from the contest this year.

The IPSC today said that Israel is “determined to artwash its genocide in Gaza and West Bank war crimes” through the Eurovision Song Contest and has called on RTÉ to boycott the event.

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign held a demonstration outside RTÉ studios this evneing. © RollingNews.ie © RollingNews.ie

IPSC Chairperson Zoe Lawlor described Israel’s participation in the contest as culture-washing: “It’s vital to exclude the genocidal apartheid state of Israel from this global cultural platform, now.”

Actor Rea joined Palestinian photojournalist Eman Mohammed, RTÉ presenter and chair of the NUJ’s broadcasting division Trevor Keegan and Irish and Palestinian musicians at the event outside RTÉ studios in Dublin this evening.

Director General of the broadcaster Kevin Bakhurst and Director of Video Steve Carson met with the EBU today to outline their concerns over Israel’s participation in the annual music competition.

It comes after members of the National Union Of Journalists at RTÉ said the station should join other public service broadcasters in calling for Israel’s removal from the contest for its government’s ongoing retaliatory offensive in Gaza.

Though Bakhurst agreed to discuss the issue with the EBU, the station’s boss said Ireland would continue to compete in this year’s contest. The organisers today committed to hold a “wider discussion” on the issue before the event next week, RTÉ said.