Several weeks after the events that took place during Eurovision week and which led to the disqualification of Dutch artist Joost Klein, the Swedish prosecution authority (Åklagarmydigheten) released a statement to explain the investigation was closed. No charges will be pressed.
The statement was released at 13:00 CEST, and reads as follows :
The investigation where an 26-year-old man has been suspected of having subjected a woman to illegal threats has been closed. The incident occurred on May 9 in connection with the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. The prosecutor is available to the media this afternoon.
The investigation has come to the conclusion that the man made a movement that hit the woman’s film camera. The course of events was fast and was perceived differently by the witnesses of the incident.
“Today I have closed the investigation because I cannot prove that the act was capable of causing serious fear or that the man had any such intention”, says senior prosecutor Fredrik Jönsson.
Case number in Malmö District Court: B 5921-24.
As it was explained by Klein’s lawyer, the investigation had to be completed before the Dutch artist could be charged. The press statement would mean that no charges will be pressed against him.
The events of May 9th
The incident mentionned in the press release took place after Joost Klein’s performance during the second semi-final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, in Malmö. After his performance, an altercation occurred between the artist and a member of the production staff. The incident was said to imply “verbal threats”, and possible threatening moves. The victim reported the incident to the police during the nigh between May 9th and 10th.
The day after, Joost Klein took part in the opening parade of the Grand Final press rehearsal early in the day, but did not perform his song, and was forbidden to perform in the Jury Final, where the footage of his semi-final performance was used instead. After several crisis meetings, the Executive Supervisor and the EBU chose to disqualify Joost Klein from the final on the Saturday, at noon, considering his behaviour to be in breach of the contest rules.
The decision sent shockwaves through the Eurovision community, causing Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS to condemn it as “disproportionnate”, and several national spokespeople to withdraw from the show on very short notice.
Are you happy with the decision? Do you think the EBU should change its rules regarding the management of such incidents and crisis? Tell us more in the comments below or on social media at @escxtra !
