AvroTros won’t take action in Joost Klein Eurovision case

Joost Klein rehearsing Europapa for Netherlands. Photo: Corinne Cumming EBU

Broadcaster AvroTros said on Tuesday it is not planning to take further action about the disqualification of the Dutch entry during this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, even though the Swedish prosecutor has dropped charges against Joost Klein.

“We can’t reverse what has already happened,” a spokesman said, adding that legal action would not be helpful or be responsible.  

The broadcaster is due to meet the European Broadcasting Union shortly to discuss a number of issues including the Klein disqualification. “We want to improve things for other countries as well as the Netherlands and this is where we need to make progress,” the spokesman said.

Several other contestants have spoken out about the toxic atmosphere at the contest and have called for change.

The Swedish public prosecution department said earlier this month it had dropped its investigation into the behaviour of Dutch rapper Klein, who was disqualified on the day of the final after an incident at Thursday’s rehearsal between him and a camerawoman.

The Swedish prosecutor said that Klein had “made a movement” that hit the woman’s camera but that it happened “fast” and was interpreted differently by various eyewitnesses.

“Today I have closed the investigation because I cannot prove that the act was capable of causing serious fear or that the man had any such intention”, senior prosecutor Fredrik Jönsson said in a statement.

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