Thousands protest at Eurovision final as five countries boycott over Israel

Thousands of protesters marched through Vienna to demonstrate against Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, highlighting what critics describe as a double standard. Five countries, including Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia, boycotted the event due to Israel's inclusion. The European Broadcasting Union refused to exclude Israel, despite banning Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. This is the largest boycott in Eurovision's 70-year history, with some national broadcasters refusing to air the show.