As there are so many posts about this topic and it’s getting a bit out of hand, I’ll create one central place where we can talk about this stuff and share updates.
If there are very big updates, I might create a new post as the new megathread but for now, please don’t create new posts for updates but post them here as comments.
Latest news: AVROTROS (the Dutch broadcaster) released a statement. The full statement is in the comments but roughly, they state that against made agreements, Joost Klein was filmed directly after getting off the stage and getting to the greenroom. He indicated he didn’t want to be filmed, but this was not respected, leading to a threatening movement from Joost towards the camera, but he did not touch the camera women. This was the whole incident leading to the investigation by EBU and police, according to them.
Was he the only one who was not supposed to be filmed there, or were none of the contestants supposed to be filmed there? He seemed emotional at the end of his performance and I read about how the performance was dedicated to his late father and how he’d promised his dad he’d sing on the Eurovision stage someday. Was he supposed to not be filmed there so he could have a private space for those emotions? Because that would be really awful if the TV crew was insisting on recording that private moment.
Joost goes emotionally deep at the end of his performance and he needs time to recover when leaving the stage. After rehearsals the team had already discussed it with production team and it was agreed that he would not be filmed. Then on Thursday after the second semi-final, it happened anyway and he pushed the phone-camera away. Sources (in Dutch): https://www.nu.nl/308397/video/cornald-maas-woedend-over-diskwalificatie-joost-klein-fuck-de-ebu.html and https://www.nu.nl/308396/video/joost-klein-vroeg-cameravrouw-meerdere-keren-te-stoppen-met-filmen.html
This is the stupidest load of shit ever. Let the contest die. At least fire the main responsible EBU person. Waiting for that footage to support an instant disqualify without any sort of trial whatsoever, that better be some really bad stuff.
Not even a real camera, a cell phone? That’s awful!
In a multilingual environment like this competition It’s possible there’s was miscommunication about what’s to be filmed, where, or about someone’s desires to not be filmed or requests to stop (eg is it part of the persona they’re putting on? The crew has their orders to film this or that).
Regardless, it seems pretty extreme to ban someone given what I’ve read so far, certainly the Norwegians are standing behind the person and I wouldn’t think they would so strongly if they had an inkling of a suspicion that he was being abusive in any way, on the other hand I wouldn’t think EBU would casually stand down someone in the last stages of the competition over nothing, but will withhold judgement until more facts are known.