The Netherlands twice made complaints about the unsafe atmosphere backstage at the Eurovision Song Contest last week, once verbally and once in writing, broadcaster AvroTros has confirmed to news website Nu.nl.

Several artists complained once the event was over about the unpleasant atmosphere and the tensions in the area where only performers, their teams, and the contest crew were allowed.

According to the AD, AvroTros made a verbal report to the organisers earlier in the week and then on Friday, the day Dutch entry Joost Klein was excluded from the dress rehearsal, made a written complaint. 

The broadcaster refused to give further details, Nu.nl said, but did say the incidents were not connected.

Artists from Lithuania, Ireland and Norway were all critical of the organisers for not dealing with problems and Norwegian band Gate told local paper Aftenposten it had considered pulling out, Nu.nl said. 

Joost Klein was disqualified from the final for making a violent gesture towards a member of the camera crew, but few details have been published. According to some reports, her camera may have been damaged.

Dutch media now say Klein had difficulty with the strict controls exercised by the European Broadcasting Union over the performers and their public appearances, including on social media. 

He was also said to be unhappy at being continually photographed, despite agreements this would not happen.

The EBU issued a statement on Tuesday saying that Avrotros’s version of events,  did not correspond with the witness accounts.

“Joost’s behaviour was in clear breach of contest rules, which are designed to ensure there is a safe working environment for all staff and to protect the production,”  the EBU statement said.

“We are not pre-judging the legal process but, given the circumstances of what occurred and the fact that the police case will shortly be handed to the prosecutor, it would not have been appropriate for Joost to participate in the grand final.”