Joost Klein responds to Eurovision investigation being dropped: “The last couple of months were terrible”
Joost Klein has had his say after the police investigation into a backstage incident at the Eurovision final was dropped.
Klein – who was set to represent the Netherlands with his song ‘Europapa’ – was disqualified from the contest in Malmö, Sweden just hours before this year’s finale (May 11). At the time, police stated that the decision was made after he was accused of making verbal threats towards a female member of the production crew.
The incident marked the first time that an act had been disqualified after reaching the Grand Final in the competition’s 68-year history and, before his disqualification, the 26-year-old singer was named as one of the favourites to win.
In a new statement, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said the investigation had discovered that “the man made a movement that hit the woman’s film camera,” and added that “the course of events was fast and was perceived differently by the witnesses of the incident.”
Senior prosecutor Fredrik Jönsson added: “I cannot prove that the act was capable of causing serious fear or that the man had any such intention.”
Now, Klein has responded to the news. Writing on Instagram, he said: “The last couple of months were terrible. Even though I love to perform anywhere around the world, something didn’t feel right. Why did we have to wait so long for an answer? Every day I felt insecure whilst I knew the truth. There is no case against me, because there never was a case.
“We should all take care for each other, we should all support each other and we should ALL come together. Companies just want to protect their money and they tried to use me as a shield. A village against the city…
“Guess what? LOVE ALWAYS WINS. TRUST THE PROCESS!!!!! EVEN THOUGH I LOST ALL HOPE WE BACK NOW BABY!!! ALBUM MODE!!!!!!!”
Klein also updated his page’s bio to read ‘Eurovision 2025’.
The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS had suggested before the charges were dropped that they were contemplating ending their participation in Eurovision over the incident unless “structural changes are made”.
“We can say that based on the information we have now, we still believe that the disqualification was unnecessary and inappropriate,” they said in June.
This year’s competition, which was ultimately won by Switzerland’s Nemo, was dogged by controversy for allowing Israel to compete amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Th Swiss broadcaster SRG has confirmed that the contest will either be held in either Basel or Geneva.
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Emma Wilkes
NME
