After Malmö city’s censorship – even more pro-Palestinian graffiti

In the middle of Eurovision, the city of Malmö censored a graffiti wall with a pro-Palestinian message.

The municipality has poodled and apologized.

Now even more people want to paint the wall.

– It was very shocking. That’s why we act, says Sejla Islamovic.

The small roundabout that connects Södra Parkgatan with Kristianstadsgatan in Malmö has become nationally known for its nickname: Knarkrondellen. Although the drug trade fled just over five years ago – after cameras came up – the name lives on.

But now the drug round might become the Gaza round.

At least that’s what 39-year-old Leah Ali and her friends are hoping for. Most of all, they hope for peace in Gaza. But in the current situation, the roundabout and its public graffiti wall offer some kind of small consolation.

– It reflects our support for the Palestinian people. We want to say: “We see you and support you,” says Leah Ali.

She feels frustrated that Israel has an entry in Eurovision – despite the fact that it is waging a war that has claimed over 33,000 human lives.

– That Israel is allowed to participate is hypocrisy, I believe. With Russia being excluded from both the ESC and the Olympics. I feel that the same would have happened regarding Israel – they should not be treated differently.

In the middle of the wall, someone has painted a life-size lemon tree. Next to it is a large Palestinian flag with an Arabic text, which, translated, reads: The soul of my soul.

– It is a famous quote from an old man who had just lost his grandson in the fighting in Gaza. The child died in his arms, says Rami, one of many who painted on the wall.

Should not be removed

He says that the graffiti wall started to be filled with pro-Palestinian messages just over a week ago.

But on Monday night it stopped.

Then a car from a cleaning company appeared. Someone within the city of Malmö had decided that the pro-Palestinian graffiti should be removed.

The cleanup was started, but was stopped after a while – probably because Malmö residents contacted the municipality about what was happening.

– I can understand that people were sad. It should not have been removed, says Martin Lundin, unit manager of the street office, Malmö city.

Martin Lundin believes that it is extremely unfortunate that this happened precisely during Eurovision week when the issue of the situation in Gaza has intensified. He calls it a “human error” that the open and public graffiti wall began to be cleaned up. However, he still has no answer as to how this could happen.

– My speculation is that someone himself had interpreted the incitement against a ethnic group and made his own decision, says Martin Lundin and continues:

– There was a routine for this that needed to be clarified. The positive thing about this is that we have gone through the routine and now it is very clear.

According to Martin Lundin, the city of Malmö has felt compelled to censor messages on the wall at some point in the past. Then it must have been a clear anti-Semitic message, he believes.

– We made the assessment that it was incitement against a ethnic group. I think it was two years ago.

Even more pictures

After the cleaning was interrupted on Monday, the city of Malmö had to come out again and wash the wall. It turned out that the cleaning agent was still there, which made it impossible to paint anything.

After that, creativity has gained new momentum.

Every hour there are more and more paintings and messages on the wall. When Aftonbladet’s team is on site on Wednesday, some people nail up road signs with the name: Gaza Roundabout.

Sejla Islamovic and her sister Emma sit further down by the ground. They paint a map of Gaza adorned with the pattern of a Palestinian shawl.

They felt compelled to paint – after Malmö city’s censorship.

– What triggered us to come here was that the city of Malmö actively removed certain things from the wall. That it is happening right now when the situation is as it is in Palestine is very sad, says Sejla Islamovic.

The sisters paint an eye in the middle of the map.

– It should symbolize that everyone sees what is happening and we show our support, says Emma Islamovic.

More art after censorship

Both she and sister Emma say that they are happy to see how the big wall has been filled with beautiful pictures and messages.

They are not alone in that.

Families with children, cyclists and all sorts of passers-by stop by the wall. You look and take pictures with your mobile phone.

– I love this wall. I think it’s great that this is highlighted. So that you don’t hide from certain subjects, says Mette, who lives in the area.

Leah Ali has also noticed that there have been more people who wanted to paint on the wall after Malmö city’s clean-up attempt.

– People come here and want to express themselves even more. It’s only positive, says Leah Ali.

Someone wrote: “Hamas”

During the week, she herself has been involved in censoring a word on the wall. Someone unknown had written “Hamas” over the Palestinian flag. It made her sad.

– I stopped the bike and started spraying over, says Leah Ali and continues:

– We have built this wall because we support the Palestinians. It is not about Judaism or Islam. It’s just humanity.

Why do you think someone wrote that?

– Probably to provoke. But it does not matter. It’s just a wall. We paint even more – it just welds us together.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to demonstrate

On Thursday afternoon, up to 30,000 demonstrators are expected to gather in central Malmö in protest against Israel’s participation in Eurovision.

That same afternoon, a pro-Israel demonstration is also held in the city at Davidshallstorg.

The police have allocated extra resources to ensure order during the event and are warning of traffic disruptions during the day.