MTV EMA Show Suspended Over Conflict Between Israel and Hamas

The MTV European Music Awards will not push through at Paris in light of the horrific violence that Israel's siege of Gaza has brought.

Paramount Global was set to broadcast the event on November 5 at the Paris Nord Villepinte but decided against its commencement after the "volatility of world events".

The event would have gathered many international performers on one stage. Artists such as David Guetta, the Kid Laroi, Manuel Turizo, Ozuna, Reneé Rapp, Coi Leray, Thirty Seconds to Mars and BTS vocalist Jung Kook were scheduled to perform.

For this year, Taylor Swift received the most nominations with seven, followed by Olivia Rodrigo and SZA with six each.

Suspended at a later date

A statement from a Paramount spokesperson said: "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."

Through the spokesperson, Paramount extended their concern over the horrific events taking place in the Middle East. The statement reads: "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."

The spokesperson added that "an abundance of caution" was implemented when Paramount decided to suspend the annual awards show, especially for the performers and their fans.

The event will resume in November 2024. Should the show have pushed through, MTV EMA 2023 would have been its return to the French capital since 1995.

The annual EMA was slated to broadcast live over MTV channels in over 150 countries worldwide and was also set to stream on Pluto TV globally. Paramount+ would also have hosted the event on-demand in their platform.

Safety measures in events

A few events that have happened since the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel may have sparked the caution Paramount mentioned.

France itself has heightened security measures across Paris after a man with a knife murdered a teacher after reportedly shouting "Allahu Akbar" in Arras.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) released an advisory for intense security measures at the height of supposed terrorist attacks.

The advisory reads: "Following a fatal attack in Arras, northern France on 13 October 2023, France has raised its national threat level to the highest level ('Emergency Attack Level')."

Six French airports were also evacuated of their passengers and civilians after local officials received emails containing attack threats. Authorities issued evacuation orders at the regional airports of Lille, Lyon-Bron, Nantes, Toulouse, Beauvais and Nice on Wednesday.

The airport in Nice is the closest to Cannes, which delegates for the Mipcom Trade Show use as their terminal for the event held earlier in the week.

Outside the MTV EMA, other notable events decided to suspend as well. The El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt is indefinitely postponed due to the heightening tensions over Israel and Palestine.

The festival's organisers said in a statement: "In light of the deeply distressing circumstances prevailing in Gaza, the management of El Gouna Film Festival has made the conscious decision to postpone the forthcoming sixth edition of the festival."