MTV Europe Music Awards cancelled amid Israel-Gaza conflict
Next month's MTV Europe Music Awards in Paris have been cancelled, organisers said on Thursday, citing "the volatility of world events" amid the ongoing Israeli atrocities in Gaza.
The awards ceremony, scheduled to be broadcast live and at which the likes of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny and the Foo Fighters were among the nominees, was due to be held on November 5 at Paris Nord Villepinte.
"Given the volatility of world events, we have decided not to move forward with the 2023 MTV EMAs out of an abundance of caution for the thousands of employees, crew members, artists, fans, and partners who travel from all corners of the world to bring the show to life," a spokesperson said in a statement.
"The MTV EMAs are an annual celebration of global music. As we watch the devastating events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, this does not feel like a moment for a global celebration. With thousands of lives already lost, it is a moment of mourning. We look forward to hosting the MTV EMAs again in November of 2024."
The region remained volatile in the aftermath of an Israeli air strike at Gaza's Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital late on Tuesday, which Palestinian officials said killed 471 people. The Gaza health ministry said 3,478 Palestinians have been killed and 12,065 injured in Israeli air strikes on the besieged enclave since October 7.
Demonstrations erupted in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and elsewhere amid outrage across the Middle East over the hospital attack. Lebanese security forces fired tear gas and water cannons at protesters throwing projectiles near the US embassy in Beirut, TV footage showed.
The annual MTV Europe Music Awards are held in a different city each year. Last year's event was in Duesseldorf in western Germany. Swift had led this year's nominations with seven nods, including for Best Artist, Best Song and Best Video for her hit Anti-Hero. Other nominees included Jung Kook, a member of K-pop stars BTS, who was also due to perform at the event. The awards show was last held in Paris in 1995.
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