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After it at the final of the ESC 2025 on July 17th. In Basel initially, as if the Israeli performance of Yuval Raphael – unlike the general rehearsals – would have been without protests, a security -relevant incident later became known. Like Edi Estermann, Head of Communications of the ESC 2025, in one of “Esc-kompakt.de“The statement spread on X, a man and a woman tried to overcome the barrier to the stage. One of the two threw in color and hit a member of the crew. According to Estermann, the person concerned was unharmed.
ESC 2025: Color thrown on crew members
“At the end of the Israeli appearance, a man and a woman tried to get to the stage. They were stopped. One of the two people threw in color and a member of the crew was hit. The crew member was well and no one was injured. The man and the woman were accompanied and handed over to the police,” Estermann is quoted.
A disruptive campaign had already occurred during the dress rehearsal on the previous day: As the FAZ reported, Raphael appearance was interrupted by whistles during the third rehearsal. According to observers, the singer remained calm and professional. The organizing Swiss television SRG announced that the security personnel quickly identified the persons concerned and removed from the hall.
In one Article The ESC page also reports of eyewitness reports. According to their own statements, information was received directly from those present in the St. Jakobshalle. Accordingly, a total of three people were involved in the incident. The alleged perpetrators apparently could have smuggled color bags with red liquid – possibly as a symbol of blood – through the security checks into the hall. The aim of the campaign was to get on stage during the Israeli appearance. Fortunately, this was prevented, the report said.
Despite safety precautions: escalation after a quiet appearance
In advance, Yuval Raphael himself declared that he was prepared for protests. In view of the political situation in the Middle East and the ongoing criticism of the Israeli government, counter reactions had already been expected in advance. Nevertheless, her actual appearance was initially without interjections or boos. Raphael appeared as the fourth participant in the final and presented her trilingual ballad “New Day Will Rise”.
Olli Schulz and Jan Böhmermann, who commented on the ESC final for the Austrian radio station FM4, also took up the topic. Schulz reported that during the appearance he went outside from the commentator cabin to capture the atmosphere in the hall – but I heard no booster.