Investigation into protester who stormed Eurovision

Eurovision’s operator is investigating how a protester managed to rush the stage during the UK’S performance and snatch a microphone from singer Surie.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced that an enquiry was “already under way” into the seven-second incident, which left the 29-year-old contestant clapping helplessly midsong.

Surie chose not to perform again after the intruder brought her rendition of Storm to a halt and shouted about “Nazis of the UK media,” adding: “We demand freedom.”

He is being questioned by police in Lisbon, where this year’s contest was held.

Shedding new light on the security breach, a EBU spokesman said yesterday that the man gained access to the stage by climbing “into the camera run”. He then “reached the main stage via the bridge, pursued by security”.

“He was removed off stage after seven seconds and is being questioned by police. We take security very seriously and an investigation into what happened is already under way.”

Unfortunately for the UK entrant, the drama did not elicit enough support from the European public to make a mark on the contest. The singer came 24th out of 26 entries during the annual contest, which was won by Israel.

We are prepared to accept that as polling evidence goes, it might not live up to the standards expected by the likes of ICM and Yougov but if the result of the Eurovision Song Contest is anything to go by, our neighbours don’t think much of us.

Even a stage invasion wasn’t enough to elicit even a sympathy vote and, as has been the case for many years now, we were never in the running.

There is a serious issue about how security at the event could be so lax as to allow an invasion of the stage. Those in attendance last night should have been able to expect the tightest possible measures to ensure their safety.

But there is another issue to be addressed: what on earth do we have to do to get our fellow Europeans voting for us again? Yes, we – or some of us – may have voted to turn our backs on the EU and, sure, we might have a bit of a history of superiority, even – whisper it – arrogance. But this cannot be held against those who represent us in Eurovision. After all, their humiliation is already assured even before the results come in.