Israel's Eurovision contestant Eden Golan shares her very unusual rehearsal strategy as she prepares for the live final amid huge backlash - as organisers prepare ring of steel for event's most controversial-ever edition

Israeli singer Eden Golan has been seen warming up for Eurovision by getting her entourage to boo her and yell 'Free Palestine' ahead of tonight's final.

The 20-year-old contestant was filmed in her dressing room rehearsing her power ballad Hurricane while other members of her team try to throw her off with loud boos and pro-Palestinian chants. 

Golan has become a lightning rod for criticism from protesters who have demanded she be excluded from the competition, while others have called for a boycott of the famous song contest and a ceasefire in the seven-month war in Gaza.

As many as 5,000 people - including climate activist Greta Thunberg - took part in a demonstration earlier this week in Malmo, Sweden, where the final is taking place, during which protesters set off smoke canisters in the colours of the Palestinian flag, while others carried signs and banners condemning the event. 

Organisers have erected a ring of steel barriers around the venue for tonight's final in preparation for the thousands of pro-Palestine protesters who are expected to march for a second time later today. 

Protesters will again take to the streets in Sweden's third-largest city, which has a large Muslim population, to show their outrage over the decision to allow Golan to take part in the famous song contest.

It will be the second protest to take place this week after as many as 5,000 people took to the city's streets on Thursday. 

During the demonstrations, smoke canisters in the colours of the Palestinian flag were set off and protesters carried signs displaying images of Gaza civilians who have been injured amid the Hamas-Israel conflict.

Other banners displayed messages including 'welcome to Genocide song contest' and 'stop using Eurovision to whitewash Israeli crimes'.

At one point, the pro-Palestinian demonstrators were told to go back by police and, following shouts of 'free Palestine', returned to the main gathering.

There was also a banner done in the style of Eurovision with the words 'genocide' on it, an accusation vigorously denied by Israel amid the country's war with Hamas, sparked by the terror group's October 7 attack last year.

The Hamas attack saw some 1,200 people in Israel killed and around 250 kidnapped by gunmen and taken back into Gaza. Since then, Israeli attacks on the coastal territory have resulted in over 34,000 deaths and a humanitarian catastrophe.

As a result of the protests, Israel's national security agency Shin Bet ordered Golan to stay in her hotel room ahead of her semi final performance, which saw her qualify for tonight's final. 

Protesters argue that Israel should not be allowed to take part amid a war that has killed almost 35,000 Palestinians. 

'I don't think they should be a part of it at all because they are committing crimes against humanity,' said local resident Lorenzo Mayr, who attended a demonstration on Thursday.

During Golan's rehearsals on Wednesday of her song Hurricane, which was reworked from an early track October Rain (thought to be a reference to the attack by Hamas), she was booed and there were reportedly shouts of 'free Palestine'.

One person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: 'The atmosphere inside the arena was horrible. You could feel the tension. Shouts of 'free Palestine' in the quiet parts. Booing audible in places. People arguing in the standing section.'

Another person, who posted a video of boos raining down on the singer, added: 'The atmosphere was so uncomfortable.'

Denmark, Finland, Norway and even host country Sweden have repeatedly called for Israel to be banned from the contest altogether. 

And in Belgium, two Ministers demanded that the Jewish state be treated the same as Russia, which has been barred since 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine.

Golan, who was born in Israel but grew up in Russia, has faced death threats ahead of her performances at the Malmo Arena, while even her fellow contestants have been accused of bullying her during a press conference earlier this week. 

Greek singer Marina Satti caused a stir after she was seen dramatically yawning and pretending to fall asleep while Eden was speaking to the press during a panel event.

Satti can be seen with her head slumped on her hand, looking towards the crowd before closing her eyes and pretending to yawn. 

She then puts her head in her arms and lays her head on the table in an apparent show of boredom while Golan continues to talk. 

But the Israeli singer has remained defiant in the build up to the final and says she hopes her performance will help to unite people.

'I won't let anything break me,' she told MailOnline in an interview this week. 'I wouldn't say I'm worried. I'm prepared.'

Speaking to Reuters, she said: 'It's a super important moment for us, especially this year. I feel honoured to have the opportunity to be the voice of my country.'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also praised 20-year-old Golan for performing despite 'contending with an ugly wave of anti-Semitism.' 

Tonight's final will see 26 acts - narrowed from 37 entrants by two semi-final runoffs - are due to perform three-minute songs in front of a live audience of thousands and an estimated 180 million viewers around the world.

The participation of the Netherlands' Joost Klein was in doubt, however, after he failed to perform at two dress rehearsals on Friday. 

Contest organizer the European Broadcasting Union said it was investigating an 'incident' involving the singer, whose song Europapa is one of the bookies' favorites.

Swedish national television broadcaster, it had received information alleging the incident involved 'a physical confrontation between the artist and a photographer'. 

However, the claim has not yet been verified and no source was given by the broadcaster.

A Eurovision spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The investigation into the incident with the Dutch artist in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest is still ongoing. Discussions are also taking place between the EBU and AVROTROS, the Dutch participating broadcaster.

'While the investigation continues the EBU has decided that Joost Klein will not perform during Dress Rehearsal 2 of the competition which is voted on by juries in the 37 participating countries.

'His performance from Semi Final 2 will be used instead.'

It all makes for a messy climax to an event that draws both adoration and derision with its campy, kitschy ethos and passion for pop.

Dean Vuletic, an expert on the history of the contest, says that despite this year's divisions, 'there is no other cultural event which brings Europeans together quite like Eurovision does.'

'Just this moment where everyone is watching the same television show, which is being broadcast live across 37 countries - that's something very special.'

This year's entries range from emotional to eccentric. They include the goofy 1990s nostalgia of Finland's Windows95man, who emerges from a giant onstage egg wearing very little clothing. 

Ireland's Bambie Thug summons witchy spirits onstage and has brought a scream coach to Malmo, while Spain's Nebulossa boldly reclaims a term used as a slur on women in 'Zorra.'

The favorites include Swiss singer Nemo - who would be the first nonbinary Eurovision winner if their operatic song 'The Code' tops the voting - and Croatia's Baby Lasagna. His song 'Rim Tim Tagi Dim' is a rollicking rock number that tackles the issue of young Croatians leaving the country in search of a better life.

Vuletic says that despite the contest's reputation for disposable bubblegum pop, Eurovision often tackles 'political and social issues such as feminism, European integration, gender identity.'

'And I think they're the very interesting songs to look out for, especially because they're the most highly ranked by the bookies,' he said.

The competing musicians are feeling the pressure, inundated with messages and abuse on social media and unable to speak out because of the contest rules. 

Italy's contestant, Angelina Mango, made a statement by walking into the Eurovision media center on Friday and performing John Lennon's 'Imagine' as dozens of journalists gathered around her.

Swedish singer Loreen, last year's Eurovision champion - and one of only two performers to win the contest twice - urged people not to shut down the 'community of love' that is Eurovision.

'What is happening in the world today and in different places is distorting and traumatizing all of us,' she told The Associated Press.

'What heals trauma -. Does trauma heal trauma? Does negativity heal negativity? It doesn't work like that. The only thing that heals trauma for real - this is science - is love.'