Eurovision Competitor Posts Video Mocking Terrorist Attacks

French Singer Bilal Hassani in Paris, on Jan. 26. Thomas Samson/Getty Images

French Singer and competitor in the Eurovision Song Contest, Bilal Hassani, is the target of controversy after a posting a video on Twitter. The singer mocked the terrorist attacks on Paris in a video posted in July last year.

Following the reappearance of this video, Senator LR Henri Leroy wrote on Twitter on Saturday: “as a member of the Eurovision French jury to intervene for Bilal Hassani to be withdrawn from the competition ... I ask you to intervene so that Bilal Hassani be removed from the list your competition. This individual is a sad example for our youth and encourages the trivialization of terrorism.”

Screenshot Henri Leroy/Twitter

“Like many French people, I was stunned by the video from Bilal Hassani, a candidate chosen to represent our country on Eurovision, mocking the Paris bombings that cost so many lives,” wrote Senator Leroy. He added: “Faced with this tragedy that has touched the heart of our country, leaving families and the nation in pain, Bilal Hassani’s behavior is unworthy.”

The French senator and mayor of Mandelieu-La-Napoule Henri Leroy, in the region, in Mandelieu-La-Napoule, southeastern France, on Oct. 8, 2015. Jean-Christophe Magnenet/Getty Images

In 2014, Israel launched the Border Protector anti-terrorist operation in Gaza to stop rocket fire from Palestinian terrorist groups. Bilal posted on his Twitter account: “Are you stupid? Crimes against humanity come from ISRAEL.” The tweet was recently deleted, but traces of it have been stored on the web.

Screenshot Bilal Hassani/Twitter

In a video published on his Twitter account on Feb. 1, he tries to justify himself: “These words, it’s not mine (sic). These are neither my writings nor my thoughts. When I was 14 years old, I was not the only one to have access to my Twitter account.”

People hold a giant Palestinian flag during a demonstration against Israel's military operations in Gaza and in support of the Palestinian people in the center of Utrecht, on Aug. 17, 2014. Bart Maat/Getty Images

In 2016, the singer described President Donald Trump as a “big [expletive]” in a song published online.

Asked this week by the Israeli press, Bilal Hassani said he was “eager” to perform in Tel Aviv. Several LGBT activists, however, urged the transgender singer to boycott the contest. “Continue to sing freely, but respect the dignity and freedom of the Palestinian people! Bilal Hassani, do not sing for Israeli apartheid!” they wrote in their letter.

In May, Bilal Hassani will travel to Tel Aviv in Israel to represent France at Eurovision 2019.