Eurovision protesters in Malmö, Sweden oppose Israel’s Eden Golan

MALMÖ, Sweden — Thousands of demonstrators waving Palestinian flags are expected to invade Sweden’s third-largest city on Thursday to protest Israel’s participation in this week’s Eurovision song contest.

The annual celebration of music and kitsch, watched by more than 150 million people, is often mixed with politics. But some observers believe it is the most politically charged edition of the competition in its 68-year history. For weeks, artists and activists have been calling on Eurovision to ban Israel over its war in Gaza.