Joost Klein: A new person in the spotlight - Holland is expelled by ESC!
"At our event, we take a firm stance against inappropriate behavior and strive to create a secure workplace for everyone involved in the competition," stated the Events for Schedules Communications group. "An incident involving Joost Klein and a team member is seen as a breach of the regulations of the event."
This intriguing Dutchman (characteristic: navy suit with sloping shoulders) was then banned from participating in rehearsals on the following Friday.
The cause? From the information provided by the Swedish broadcaster SVT, physical altercations were reported between Joost Klein and a photographer offstage. The Swedish "Aftonbladet" also reported a violent encounter with a production worker.
"The Swedish police are currently probing a complaint from a female production worker after an occurrence following his performance in the semi-finals on Thursday evening. Given the ongoing legal proceedings, it would be unsuitable for him to perform in the competition going forward," clarified the ESC press team.
Moreover, Klein looked out of place in front of the cameras as well. During the joint press conference with the 10 winners of the second semi-final of the ESC, he audibly interjected several times without being prompted and made derogatory comments towards the Israeli ESC artist, Eden Golan (20).
He also, in a show of defiance, grabbed his Dutch flag and covered his head with it during Golan's address.
Additionally, rumors circulated that Klein refused to pose for a picture with Golan earlier in the week, which were perceived as antisemitic actions.
The second dress rehearsal on Friday, in which Klein was no longer given clearance to participate, holds significant sway in determining the scores awarded by the juries of the 37 participating countries. Hence, his performance at the Thursday semi-final was assessed in this context.
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Source: symclub.org
