Fact Check: Video of protests in Sweden during 2009 Davis Cup linked to ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict

Hyderabad: Social media users have been sharing a video claiming that the visuals show pro-Palestinian protests against the participation of Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest at Malmo in light of the raging Israel-Palestine conflict.

A Facebook page The Nation Vibes shared a reel with the caption “Pro-Gazan Muslim migrants who were given shelter in Sweden are destroying Swedish taxpayers because an Israeli singer took part in Eurovision.”

Similar posts can be seen here and here .

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading. The protest in Sweden happened in 2009.

Our search using appropriate keywords led us to a Reuters report from March 8, 2009, titled ‘Anti-Israel protest staged at Sweden tennis match.’ Similarly, we found a report from the Associated Press published on March 7, 2009, titled ‘Anti-Israel protesters clash with Swedish police outside tennis match’.

According to the reports, a group of anti-Israeli protesters had a confrontation with the police as they attempted to break into an arena in Sweden where a Davis Cup tennis match between Sweden and Israel was taking place.

The report added that the protesters threw stones and firecrackers at police vehicles to get past the barriers erected around the arena. Riot police, numbering in the hundreds, responded by using batons to hold the activists back. Upon reviewing the viral video’s keyframes, it was determined that both sources show the same event.

Continuing our investigation, we conducted a keyword search on YouTube and found an extended version of the video. It was posted on March 8, 2009, titled ‘Davis Cup Sweden-Israel demonstrations.’

On May 15, 2009, Sydsvenskan, a Swedish website uploaded a video on YouTube showing more of the incident. The video’s description said, “During the Davis Cup tennis in Malmö, a demonstration began. Hooligans destroyed police cars.” We also found numerous news sources covering the 2009 protests in Malmo over the Davis Cup match between Sweden and Israel.

Hence, we conclude that the viral video has nothing to do with any anti-Israeli protests at Eurovision.