In Athens on the evening of February 15, pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the Athens Festival complex to protest Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, even as Greece held its national final selection inside the venue.
According to Anadolu Ajansı, the protesters waved Palestinian flags and held signs calling for Israel's exclusion from the competition. Among the chants heard were "Music cannot cover bombs" and "Freedom for Palestine, isolate Israel."
Undeterred by the demonstration outside, the national final proceeded as planned within the hall. The event featured 14 contestants competing in Greece's selection process for Eurovision 2026, with voting determined by a combined score from the audience and a judging panel.
At the end of the evening, Akillas emerged as the winner with his song "Perto," securing victory with a total of 48 points from the jury and public votes.
Following the announcement, Akillas expressed his elation, stating, "Great excitement. I'm still shivering when I think about everything that happened today... I'm just speechless. I'm very happy. It's like a dream."
Eurovision 2026 is scheduled to take place in Vienna at the Wiener Stadthalle, with the semi-finals set for May 12 and May 14, and the grand final on May 16.
