Danish Eurovision singer clarifies social media post after backlash over pro-Israel stickers

Danish Eurovision singer Søren Torpegaard Lund, is facing backlash after sharing an Instagram story that sparked controversy over the strong political messaging against Israel.

He shared a story on Instagram showing a laptop decorated with stickers stating, “AM ISRAEL FCKING CHAI” (Am Israel Chai means "Long live the nation of Israel") and “FCK HMS,” referring to the Hamas terrorist organization.

The image was quickly circulated among Israeli and pro-Israel Eurovision fans, some of whom believed Lund was expressing support for Israel and condemning Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in which approximately 1,200 people were killed.

However, Lund later clarified that the laptop in the image did not belong to him and said he had not intended to make any political statement.

“I can see that something I shared has created a lot of reactions. That was never my intention. To be completely clear: the computer shown in the story is not mine. I’m a person who meets and works with many different people, and I fundamentally believe in respect, love, and making space for one another. My focus is my music and the sense of community I hope to create through it. That’s what I’m bringing with me to Eurovision. Love, Søren,” he wrote in another Instagram post.

Even so, Lund’s original post sparked considerable debate within the Eurovision community, with some critics condemning the Danish singer while others expressed support for him.

Giannis Argyriou, chief editor of the Greek-English Eurovision site EurovisionFun, addressed the controversy in an official post on the website.

 “Although the stickers could also be read simply as opposition to Hamas rather than a clear stance on the Gaza conflict… critics quickly voiced disappointment, with some even calling for his exclusion from the contest, while certain comments escalated into harsh and offensive remarks,” Argyriou wrote. He said the debate continued even after the story was deleted.

“Nevertheless, the discussion did not fade, as users continued to share screenshots and debate his position. Some even welcomed the deletion, viewing it as a step back from the implied message… Despite the online controversy, such incidents rarely have a decisive impact on an artist’s trajectory in the competition,” Argyriou continued.

“Lund remains among the frontrunners for victory and has not expressed opposition to Israel’s participation in the past. In a recent interview with Euromix, he stated that he enjoys this year’s entries, including the Israeli one, and expects a particularly strong edition of the contest.”

Some social media users claimed the laptop belonged to an Israeli friend of Lund and suggested the post was removed following negative reactions. Others expressed support for Lund while condemning Hamas. At the same time, critics of Israel reiterated calls for the country to be excluded from Eurovision, drawing comparisons to Russia’s exclusion following its invasion of Ukraine.

In December, the Eurovision Song Contest officially approved Israel’s participation in the 2026 competition. Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and Iceland – which had opposed Israel’s inclusion – subsequently withdrew from this year’s contest, set to take place in Vienna in May.