Monday, 12 August was a day of mixed emotions for The Netherlands, as the Joost Klein charges were dropped.
One of the most contentious Eurovision Song Contests in history went off the rails when the Dutch representative got booted before the 2024 Saturday grand final. The alleged incident which led to it has finally reached a conclusion, months later.
How Did We Get Here?
This is an important point: the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 took place in Malmö, Sweden. Why is this important? Swedish laws apply, of course.
During the competition – as in, literally during the five days of the contest – Klein became the first act in Eurovision history to suffer disqualification. We covered it here in May as he was accused of making a hostile or intimidating action towards a camera person, which is a crime under Swedish law. This alleged incident occurred on Friday, jury final day, and a police report was filed against him.
Rumors swirled during the day that something had taken place involving Joost Klein, including fears that he would be disqualified. Though the Dutch participating broadcaster, AVROTROS, lobbied against it, the European Broadcasting Union decided to disqualify Klein in the midst of the investigation. The ban was announced on Saturday, the day of the grand final in which Switzerland won its crown.
This was one of several controversies which marred the 2024 contest, including anger at certain countries participating and threats of entries quitting. Some national spokespeople did quit, but no performers.
Joost Klein Charges Dropped
However, on 12 August, Swedish authorities announced that there was insufficient evidence against Klein. As such, the charges against him were closed. The only problem: the Eurovision Song Contest took place three months ago, and there is no reinstatement to be had. This is all far too late to help Klein and the Dutch.
Joost Klein Charges Dropped: Dueling Statements
The European Broadcasting Union released a statement, in which they affirmed their decision to disqualify Klein and said, paraphrased, that they felt their actions at the time were appropriate.
This is not how AVROTROS feels. In their statement, also paraphrased, they reaffirmed their stance that there was no basis for disqualifying Klein and that the EBU acted hastily in removing him from the contest. They also brought up other “objections” they had stemming from the 2024 contest and demanded an immediate meeting with the EBU.
The artist himself also made a statement. On Instagram, Joost Klein indirectly took aim at the EBU, also mentioning that “there was never a case.”
A Bittersweet Day for Dutch Eurovision
Was The Netherlands vindicated with the dropping of the charges?
In reality, yes. Do they feel vindicated? Perhaps. Does this materially change anything? The only thing is Klein no longer facing any prospect of criminal charges related to Eurovision. Nothing else, however: the EBU nor anyone can unring the bell.
Disqualifying a fan favorite is one thing, but disqualifying a fan favorite when it turns out there was a lack of evidence against him is a bitter pill. The Dutch broadcaster and their fans have every right to be upset, and they are well within their rights to sit out the 2025 contest if they so choose. Klein himself also has every right to be unhappy with how his Eurovision experience went.
It is important to remember that hostility and intimidation are not okay, and had it conclusively occurred, Klein’s disqualification would have been justified. Hindsight is always 20/20, but the EBU is taking its lumps today in part because they erred on the side of dropping the so-called hammer; they took the most extreme action never before taken. One would like to think that if there was substance to the accusation, AVROTROS would not have disputed it so fiercely, but in the end, as it applies to the contest in May, this is all moot.
The news today reminded Eurovision fans how tumultuous the 2024 contest was, and that much of it was avoidable. In some ways, it’s a miracle we made it through – and I choose to thank Petra Mede for being a beacon of light and love.
